Why We Should Quarantine

by Maria Zecena

           Quarantine should be mandatory to those people who are coming back to the United States from anywhere in West Africa- even if they have tested negative for Ebola. When people are first tested and receive negative results, they should be watched very closely because the virus may be undetectable until after a couple of days. People don’t understand that this disease is extremely deadly, and this virus could kill millions just because one person doesn’t want to be quarantined. The 21-day incubation period may be a long time to be quarantined, but it is for the safety of the potential carrier of the disease and all those around them. As Jamie Gaskey, a woman who created a petition to put nurse Kaci Hickox in a hospital to be quarantined, said, “Because she’s an R.N. (Registered Nurse), she should be setting actually a positive example to society and encourage collaboration between health care providers and federal and state institutions. And with her not complying she’s encouraging other health care providers do the same thing.”

           Although Ebola is very difficult to contract, once you’ve got it, you have a very slim chance of getting rid of it. People could test negative and go on for days, even weeks, without showing symptoms of the virus, which is why they should be quarantined. It may take anywhere from 2 – 21 days for them to show symptoms of the virus, but with all the sweating, sneezing, and coughing a person could potentially do in that time period, they could easily have spread Ebola far and wide. That being said, it is not easily contracted. You can only contract Ebola from bodily fluids (blood, saliva, mucus, sweat, tears, semen, vomit, urine and feces) coming in contact with an open abrasion, eyes, mouth, nose or genital area. However, if you are a male who just was cured from Ebola, the virus can still exist in your semen for as long as three months, which means you could still put people at risk if you are not careful.

          I also believe that nurses that are taking care of infected patients should be under constant watch for Ebola. Even though most of them follow the CDC (Center for Disease Control) procedure/protocol, even a small abrasion in their glove or suit could cause them to contract the virus. This is why they should be monitored at all times, and they should not be in contact with any other patients.

Why We Should Not Quarantine

by Leslie Little

           Quarantine is a method used to separate and restrict the movement of people, or a state of enforced isolation. It is a painfully dull and restrictive treatment. So why quarantine someone if they weren’t infected with a deadly disease in the first place? Doctors from all over the country say there is a very low chance that Ebola will be spread around the U.S. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical medicine, says, “The Ebola virus is not easily transmitted from person to person, and we have an outstanding infrastructure in place both to contain the virus and trace contacts. There will not be an Ebola epidemic in the United States.” Isolating someone because they MIGHT be infected with a disease is completely unethical and unfair. After someone tests negative for Ebola, they shouldn’t be subjected to quarantine. For example, if someone has no symptoms of a cold, why would anyone force them to stay at home in bed?

             I think Nurse Kaci Hickox was right to fight against the quarantine.  Hickox said the main reason why she fought the quarantine was her “fear of what fellow aid workers would face when they returned to the U.S.”. She never tested positive for Ebola after treating patients in West Africa, which is why health officials allowed her to to travel, go to work, and live like freely at her home in Maine as long as she monitored her health until after the incubation period ends on Nov. 10. After she arrived home, she found herself in a quarantine debate.  Hickox said on Meet the Press, “We know that it’s not transmitted from someone who is symptomatic.” Why do they think it’s appropriate to isolate someone if they aren’t contagious whatsoever?  Just because one person ended up having Ebola after he tested negative does not mean every single individual coming from Africa has Ebola. Even after you’re quarantined, your reputation is ruined because you will always be known as that person that might have had it. Being quarantined can jeopardize your relationships, your job, and even your livelihood.