Posted on 11/02/2014 8:49:43 AM PST by Kaslin
I am a faithful and loving husband to a wonderful woman, and I do not make a practice of hugging women I don't know. But if I had the chance, I wouldn't hesitate to embrace Kaci Hickox.
She apparently would be willing. In denouncing the quarantine imposed on her by the government of Maine -- which she defied the other day by going on a bike ride with her boyfriend -- the 33-year-old nurse said, "You could hug me. You could shake my hand. I would not give you Ebola."
That's accurate, from all available evidence, since she has never had any symptoms of the disease. A hug from her would be more likely to break my ribs than give me a deadly virus.
Returning from a month in Sierra Leone working for Doctors Without Borders, Hickox was stopped at the Newark airport. After a forehead scanner indicated a fever -- which she attributed to being flushed from distress at being detained for hours with no explanation -- an oral thermometer registered 98.6 degrees. She didn't have a fever before or since. Still, she was placed in an isolation tent in a hospital for three days before being flown to her home in Maine.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, only Ebola victims showing symptoms can pass the virus to others. But some officials couldn't care less about such details. Three governors have issued quarantine mandates for any medical worker who has had contact with Ebola patients -- Chris Christie of New Jersey, Andrew Cuomo of New York and Pat Quinn of Illinois. A Maine court ordered Hickox not to leave town and to stay at least three feet away from others -- only to lift the order the following day.
Christie went out of his way to patronize this woman who risked her life to save patients on the other side of the world. "When she has time to reflect, she'll understand," he predicted.
Given time and reflection, maybe the rest of us will understand just how ridiculous he and others are for inflicting needless burdens on people who pose no discernible danger. When did it become a badge of toughness to succumb to irrational panic?
The hardliners act as though we have no experience with infectious disease and therefore have to take any steps that could conceivably block it. In fact, the CDC has been dealing competently with illnesses like this for a long time.
Back in 2002 and 2003, a virus called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) infected more than 8,000 people, mostly in Asia, and killed 774. Even though it could be spread through the air, had a high mortality rate and infected 27 people in the United States, the CDC didn't recommend mandatory quarantines. So it makes sense that the agency would not advise that approach for Ebola, which is much harder to contract.
There is an assumption that health care workers returning from Ebola zones are too irresponsible to avoid infecting others. But groups that work in these areas know better than anyone how to avoid getting or giving the disease.
Ebola has been around since 1976, and Doctors Without Borders (which goes by the French acronym MSF) has a lot of experience on the front lines. Until this year's outbreak, the biggest ever, it had never had an international staff member infected. Only three have contracted the virus this time. None has spread it to other people.
Nor is any likely to. Upon coming home, the group says, staffers are required to "check their temperature two times per day; finish their regular course of malaria prophylaxis, since malaria symptoms can mimic Ebola symptoms; be aware of relevant symptoms, such as fever; stay within four hours of a hospital with isolation facilities; and immediately contact the MSF-USA office if any relevant symptoms develop."
Why should we trust these doctors and nurses to follow this strict regime? First, because they wouldn't survive treating Ebola if they were sloppy. Second, because professionals who have made great sacrifices to fight the disease are not likely to knowingly put others in danger. Third, because they are acutely aware of the symptoms of Ebola and have every reason to get immediate care if they appear.
Hickox, however, is at the mercy of public officials who are eager to trample on her freedom in deference to unwarranted hysteria. In going to Africa to treat Ebola patients, she showed admirable courage. Too bad it's not contagious.
EGGSACKLY! My take away from this specious horsesh!t from him is “I’ll never take anything he says or writes seriously anymore.”
I have never had a roommate who contracted Ebola. I have never touched someone with Ebola. You?
Maine Says Nurse Hickox’s Roommate Had Ebola
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3221842/posts
Court Order: Kaci Hickox’s Roommate in Sierra Leone Was Treated for Ebola
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3221768/posts
Nurse Roommate of Kaci Hickox Developed Ebola
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3221894/posts?page=21;q=1#21
Assuming those numbers are correct that's a less than 10% death rate and it likely killed the very old, very young and the very weak.
If that were Ebola it would have killed between 5600 and 7200...and age wouldn't have mattered.
That's why anyone that has actually been exposed to Ebola should be quarantined before coming into the states.
Assuming those numbers are correct that's a less than 10% death rate and it likely killed the very old, very young and the very weak.
If that were Ebola it would have killed between 5600 and 7200...and age wouldn't have mattered.
That's why anyone that has actually been exposed to Ebola should be quarantined before coming into the states.
Don’t forget the soup run.
Her actions constitute a huge threat. Her actions have undermined the power of state governments to impose quarantines.
We have 150 Duncans coming into this country per day. Because of this selfish nurse, states will be reluctant to quarantine any of them.
I dont need to read anything else
What a ronulan.
To think that allowing EBOLA KACI in public without being proven non contagious is suicide, and to use the Constitution as a suicide pact is insane.
My normal temperature is 97.7. I feel a tad feverish when the thermometer registers 98.6.
Those cartoons (or one’s like them) belong on every Ebola thread...
13% of Ebola victims develop no fever. “Symptoms” are not always reliable indicator if you are contagious or not.
In short it is simply gambling.
It'll be doctors like those heroes who work with Doctors without borders who will be at the hospital every day caring for the sick. Many of our ‘more sane’ types will be calling in sick or refusing to treat those with Ebola. They'll be worried about their ‘practice’ or family. The oath they swore will be put aside for convenience. The CDC is right to respect these outliers...
For that reason we need these monsters of love and insanity...maybe Steve Chapman senses only Kaci Hickox thypes would be there to save him and his loved ones if necessary ...
Were you trying to make me vomit? You succeeded.
You want to here an Ebola joke?
You probably won’t get it..
Lame huh.
You want to here an Ebola joke?
You probably won’t get it..
Lame huh.
I wonder if this nurse believes herself resistant because she shared a room wih someone with ebola? Could she be a carrier and not ill herself? Even if she is resistant herself, she’s grandstanding to establish a precedent that could lead other people who aren’t resistant to break quaranteen.
Bull. Decent people show the appearance of propriety. Even without symptoms, these genius better than us health care workers should stay home for three weeks, send others to pick up their soup, go online bowling, etc.
So you think that with Ebola reality will suddenly reverse itself, and the good people and Christians will stop being the source of most helping and caring, and that the liberals and unionists will be the ones devoting themselves to us?
What message do you think this nurse is sending to Africans as their local media covers her rejection of quarantine and isolation? Already the lack of compliance is the number one reason for all the deaths in Africa and why this outbreak has lasted for so long, and we are importing thousands of them here to America that look at this nurse as an example. Now was not the time for her to be pulling this stunt.
How about the liberal unions?
“The walkout is part of a national day of action by National Nurses United in 14 states as well as the District of Columbia that will highlight the demand of NNU for all hospitals to put in place stronger Ebola safety measures,” the statement said.
The strike is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 12th.”
She registered 101 according to the NY Times.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.