"Nurse Who Spoke Out About Quarantine Felt a Calling for Health Care, Friends Say"
By: Emma G. Fitzsimmons
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/27/nyregion/nurse-who-spoke-out-about-quarantine-felt-a-calling-for-health-care-friends-say.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LargeMediaHeadlineSum&module=b-lede-package-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
Ebola continues to spread across West Africa, and public fear of the fatal virus is at an all time high thanks to in depth 24/7 media coverage. For the past month, Kaci Hickox, a veteran of Doctors Without Borders and a graduate from University of Texas at Arlington, was in Sierra Leone helping treat Ebola patients. Upon arrival at Newark Liberty International Airport, she was one of the first "victims" of a policy championed by the governors of both New York and New Jersey for an immediate quarantine of all emergency medical staff returning from West Africa. Hickox was extremely frustrated that she was quarantined. She reported she had no symptoms and that the 101 degree reported by the forehead scanner at the airport was due to her being upset and flushed. A later temperature recorded her body heat at a normal 98.6. She was placed into an isolation tent fitted with a portable toilet, but no shower or TV. She was originally not going to speak about the conditions she was forced to endure, until the governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie reported that she was "obviously ill." Knowing that she was fine, she decided to speak up. She first wrote an essay for the Dallas Morning News and later an interview with CNN. New York Mayor, Joe de Blasio came to the defence of Ms. Hickox's claims that her treatment was inhumane.
This is an important article as it includes the inhumane treatment that medical workers returning from West Africa are forced to endure, and the unnecessary Ebola hysteria brought upon by the over coverage by media. Medical workers should be tested and be given with ethical quarantine procedure, and the media needs to calm down and for once, stop spreading fear.
Raffi, we actually ended up doing the same news article. It would have been more official if you had mentioned the fact that White House officials are trying to convince governors to stop the quarantine policy. In addition, to make a stronger appeal, you could have mentioned how White House officials plan on making an argument against the states. In your opinion paragraph, you mentioned how quarantine is an inhumane act against medical workers with Ebola. However, maybe other people may want possible Ebola victims to remain in quarantine to keep the disease from spreading. Although they may not show symptoms, they can still spread the disease.
ReplyDeleteThe article that i used as a source did not say anything about White House officials battling the quarantine protocols. Also I said that the quarantine procedures that the returning doctors were forced to endure are unethical, i agree that they should be quarantined but at least be given ethical treatment.
DeleteYou watched it happen!? FOR HOW LONG? HOW DID YOU LET HER SUFFER LIKE THIS!??!!
ReplyDeleteok this is seriously ridiculous, if this a joke you're trying to hard, if its not please stay away from me. thank u
DeleteRaffi, your post shows how frenetic the media has made people about Ebola. It is a terrible disease, of course, but the way people are responding is a bit over-the-top. Kaci Hickox received inhumane treatment in isolation. There was enough reason to suspect that she was ill and it is better to quarantine her for a while than to have the disease spread, but she and other medical workers must be treated better.
ReplyDeleteRaffi, I loved the simplicity with which you wrote your post. It made it explicitly clear and simple to understand.Taking into consideration the positive note that America has such strict standards and regulations concerning public health and safety, it is still possible to say that they do go out of hand sometimes, this being one case. Also, I must commend you on your fairly un-biased description of the situation, as I am aware that you are quite in love with this country...
ReplyDeleteRaffi, you have addressed not one, but two important issues that plague (no pun intended) our country and globe: the Ebola outbreak and "hysteria brought upon by the over coverage by media" (Sarkisian, 1). Though your writing is well-written, I do not agree that the treatment of this doctor was particularly inhumane. As a medical professional, she should understand the rather difficult action the state felt obliged to make as a precautionary measure for the good of the majority of people.
ReplyDeleteRaffi, once again you have astounded me with your choice of wording. You chose to write about a topic that is current and extremely controversial not only in the United States, but all around the world. It is sad to see that those doctors who risked their own health by deciding to help those in need are being treated in such an unethical manner. It is one thing to take necessary precautions and another to keep people in individual tents with nothing but toilets to keep them company. This Ebola outbreak does indeed require attention before it spreads further, but it is important to remember that those who are affected are human, too. Amazing work as always, Raffi.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not Raffi, but we actually wrote about the same exact topic! I guess we have a good choice in choosing topics. This article immediately caught my eye when I saw it on Washington Post. This Ebola outbreak interests me greatly and I love learning more about this. Your blog mentioned several extra points. Fantastic job!
ReplyDelete