# Mandatory Ebola Quarantine, Can't this be done a bit more intelligently? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 27, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629 "2014-10-27T03:22:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/21 "2014-10-27T11:27:07Z")
Just in case anyone is unclear about what Kaci Hickox was facing this weekend, this is a link to a [picture of her in the quarantine tent.](http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/10/27/nyregion/27GOVERNORSsub/27GOVERNORSsub-master675.jpg) She was sentenced to stay in this bare-bones tent for 21 days for the crime of _maybe_ having a particular disease. There is a portable toilet but no showering facilities. Three weeks without a shower, oh yeah, that’s kind. No mental stimulation. No normal clothing. Great reward for someone who had gone to Africa to actually do something constructive about this outbreak. We can do better than this. Even if we decide on mandatory quarantines we can do better than this. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/22 "2014-10-27T13:13:40Z")
“OMG EBOLA DO SOMETHING!” “We are doing exactly what the protocols say.” “OMG SOMEONE ELSE GOT SICK **DO SOMETHING** ” “We are doing exactly what the protocols…” “OMG \*\*KEEP **THESE PEOPLE _AWAY FROM US!" “Look, there is no evidence that…” "LISTEN YOU INCOMPETENT TWIT DO SOMETHING_** TO \*\*\*KEEP THEM AWAY \*\*\*FROM US!” “Damn… OK, OK, if you’re so het up let’s slap something together quickly and slapdashedly…” ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/23 "2014-10-27T15:15:26Z")
That’s what she gets for not contracting the disease she should, in theory, have because Africa! If she did, we might give her an iPad or something. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/24 "2014-10-27T15:28:43Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It could be done more intelligently by not giving in to ignorance and paranoia and not requiring one in the first place. It’s taking longer than we thought. - one million ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/25 "2014-10-27T15:31:27Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > It would seem because they know better what is risk and are not being driven by ignorant fear. > Since at lesat the doctor was not symptomatic, he was not yet sick and could not transmit the disease. > > I would say in the American English - fuck ignorance, even more so the aggressive ignorance that refuses correction, and most of all the fearful mindless ignorance. - two million ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/26 "2014-10-27T15:39:55Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > - one million > [@UncleRojelio](#): > > - two million = three million! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/27 "2014-10-27T15:47:42Z")
This whole ebola thing brings to mind an analogy. We have some sort of nuclear power story/problem. Experts telling us how safe things are (and they are right mostly with important caveats). Then we have a bunch of Homer Simpsons being stupid, naive, lazy, or trying show how safe things are by flipping random switches and beating on control rods for no good reason. Throw in a few Mr Burns, Ken Brockmans, and a Smithers here and there for good measure. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/28 "2014-10-27T16:39:58Z")
It’s the product of panic and pandering to the lowest, dumbest denominator. I don’t mean people who don’t know better, I mean people who, even after being told repeatedly that they are not going to get Ebola unless they go paddling in the bodily fluids of an infected person. Panic + speed = crap. I hope she is able to sue them. Seriously, I’m not big on frivolous lawsuits, but that’s seriously wrong. We treat condemned killers better than that! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/29 "2014-10-27T16:52:27Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The CDC has announced a directive that starting today, all travelers entering the U.S. from Ebola-affected countries, not just health care workers who had direct contact with patients, are to be actively monitored for 21 days. They are supposed to report their temperature and if they have any symptoms once a day to their local or state health departments. Otherwise, they are not being placed in quarantine. > > Also, Dr. Spencer’s fiancé has tested negative for the Ebola virus and has been released from the hospital. While we certainly don’t have a right to know, I kind of wish/hope that they choose to share whether or not they had sex when he came home. The panic seems to have died down somewhat since reports that Thomas’ family members didn’t catch it were made public. I suspect knowing that a couple even had sex and she didn’t catch it might ease fears a little more (although hopefully not too much, we do still need to take sensible precautions, and not having sex with infected people is still a good idea.) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/30 "2014-10-27T17:42:45Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Just in case anyone is unclear about what Kaci Hickox was facing this weekend, this is a link to a [picture of her in the quarantine tent.](http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/10/27/nyregion/27GOVERNORSsub/27GOVERNORSsub-master675.jpg) She was sentenced to stay in this bare-bones tent for 21 days for the crime of _maybe_ having a particular disease. There is a portable toilet but no showering facilities. Three weeks without a shower, oh yeah, that’s kind. No mental stimulation. No normal clothing. > > Great reward for someone who had gone to Africa to actually do something constructive about this outbreak. > > We can do better than this. > > Even if we decide on mandatory quarantines we can do better than this. She’s been released from quarantine and is being allowed to return home. > **[American nurse placed in 'inappropriate' Ebola quarantine released](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/27/nurse-ebola-quarantine-released-newark)** > > Release of Kaci Hickox, a nurse for Doctors Without Borders, follows pressure from White House and legal threat ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/31 "2014-10-27T20:58:29Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > This whole ebola thing brings to mind an analogy. > > We have some sort of nuclear power story/problem. > > Experts telling us how safe things are (and they are right mostly with important caveats). > > Then we have a bunch of Homer Simpsons being stupid, naive, lazy, or trying show how safe things are by flipping random switches and beating on control rods for no good reason. > > Throw in a few Mr Burns, Ken Brockmans, and a Smithers here and there for good measure. Someone has been playing a little too much Tapped Out.😃 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/32 "2014-10-28T00:52:10Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > She’s been released from quarantine and is being allowed to return home. > > [American nurse placed in 'inappropriate' Ebola quarantine released | US news | The Guardian](http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/27/nurse-ebola-quarantine-released-newark) Really glad to hear the authorities got their heads out of their asses. This was such a badly implemented half-baked plan. I still think some kind of group quarantine is needed. Much like what the military is doing with the troops coming back from helping the Ebola victims. Whatever solution is developed needs to be well thought out and have the support of the medical community. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/33 "2014-10-28T23:34:47Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Really glad to hear the authorities got their heads out of their asses. This was such a badly implemented half-baked plan. I still think some kind of group quarantine is needed. Much like what the military is doing with the troops coming back from helping the Ebola victims. > > Whatever solution is developed needs to be well thought out and have the support of the medical community. There’s no reason to quarantine anyone. An infected person doesn’t start shedding the Ebola virus until they are pretty sick. If you were someone potentially exposed to Ebola and you were to start showing symptoms, I’d imagine you’d get to treatment pretty damn fast. The potential of a gruesome and, I can only assume, painful death is pretty strong motivation for people to get help. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/34 "2014-10-29T00:45:13Z")
What’s this about giving them laptops in quarantine? What if it evolves to be spread over the internet?! :eek:😃 On a related note, the Army is taking the (perhaps overly) cautious route by [putting their troops in quarantine as they return to Italy from Africa.](http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/28/politics/starr-ebola-general-interview/index.html) Per the article, the troops are taking their own temperatures, socializing with each other, have access to phones, internet, and exercise equipment, and are evidently still having to do their jobs (the military, like any other government job, includes a lot of bureaucratic and administrative type stuff.) ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/35 "2014-10-29T02:03:47Z")
Why don’t we just allow medical professionals (the CDC?) to set up the requirements for quarantine not politicians. Bob ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/36 "2014-10-29T17:39:40Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve read in other interviews she was thrown into this room without anything to wear except a paper gown. No tv. No magazines. Nothing to entertain herself. Just sit and stare at the walls. Is that why she’s freaking out and trying to sue? No wonder. I had thought she was selfish and stupid for trying to break quarantine. I mean, why would a nurse who helps people want to willingly expose, even by a tiny fraction of a chance, other people to Ebola? Besides, its 21 days of vacation, why not just take it? But if the conditions are bad, then I can see why she decided to speak out against it. Its not quarantine, that’s jail ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/37 "2014-10-29T18:17:14Z")
Yeah, I have no idea why intelligent people chafe when idiots curtail their freedom of movement because they can’t take 5 minutes to read about methods of viral transmission on wiki. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/38 "2014-10-29T18:45:27Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > No, it’s not the “hill I want to die on”, I don’t want to die on any hill, but neither do I wish to tolerate utter gibbering panic. > > It is STUPID to throw out something that doesn’t need to be thrown out. Perhaps we should gut the entire room after treating an Ebola patient and build a new one rather than simply disinfecting it? Where do you draw the line? It’s easy to spend someone else’s money, isn’t it? > > Even more so for the personal possessions of people in quarantine. There is _no need_ to gut someone’s home of personal possessions because some uninformed people are scared of the Boogie Germs. There is no need to kill someone’s pet dog (as happened in Spain). These things should be done rationally but we’ve seen again and again they aren’t. > > Costs add up. I see no reason to add to them needlessly. If you’re going to set up a facility to quarantine the exposed over the foreseeable future maybe you should not treat the furnishings as disposable unless that is truly necessary. Or maybe we should just burn the entire building down every other week after moving everyone to a new facility, because sometimes I think that’s where some people are going with this. > > Spend $0.02 on bleach to disinfect something or $40 to replace it - which makes more sense? This, and an extension to this. Our culture has (probably under no small influence from manufacturers and retailers) become a throwaway consumer culture. It’s buy, buy, buy the latest stuff from Conglom-O-Mart’s weekly super special sale and not running an efficient household or trying to be thrifty enough to not end up homeless after the next layoff cycle. Not so long ago, great-grandma was sewing dresses out of old potato sacks and cutting up worn out dresses to make socks and washcloths. Grandma turned out fine. Nowadays, we are reminded that homemade clothing is not certified by the American Child Safety Initiative Program of the National Textile Manufacturers and Retailers Council and could possibly not protect my daughter in certain cases of rampaging yak incidents. But then the tween dresses at Sav-O-Mart are made in dumpy third-world countries and have been yak-proofed with who knows what impure chemicals from the floor of a sweatshop. But they are 20% off this Saturday only at Sav-O-Mart! Good thing Bendoverbank gave me a credit limit increase this summer. Anyone know where I put my Escalade keys? I junked mom’s old Civic because it doesn’t have the Protecto-Earth super emissions reduction system. I’m a really good boy. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/39 "2014-10-29T18:52:25Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > What’s this about giving them laptops in quarantine? What if it evolves to be spread over the internet?! :eek:😃 I received this phone call a week or so ago Caller: I think my computer has ebola and I think it gave it to me. Me: your computer may have a virus, but it did not infect you with ebola Caller: but how do you know it didnt. Me: because computer viruses do not infect people. Caller: well shouldnt you at least check, what if my computer is infected Me: I am more than happy to check your computer for viruses Caller: including ebola Me: your computer does not have ebola Caller: so you wont check? Me: we can handle any computer virus situation. Caller: including ebola? Me: yes Caller: so how do you handle an ebola infected computer? Me: like any other virused computer Caller: so you have your guys in haz mat suits and masks when they work on it Me: yes Caller: can I see how they do that. Me: no sir it takes years of training to safely handle virus infected computers, I cannot let you into the work area. Caller: ok I guess I will bring it down. Me: we will be ready Im sure he will be disappointed when the haz mat suited techs do not meet him at his car. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629/40 "2014-10-29T18:59:54Z")
For my own peace of mind, I’m assuming you made that up because otherwise I don’t want to live on this planet anymore. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandatory-ebola-quarantine-cant-this-be-done-a-bit-more-intelligently/702629.md?page=3)