I have conflicting thoughts about this one really.

So, Kaci Hickox had been out in Africa with Ebola patients.  She flew back to New York, and was quarantined on arrival.  She fought back saying there was no reason to quarantine her as she was not symptomatic.  She won, and then buggered off to Maine to live in her boyfriends house, but is now under house arrest style quarantine.  I think that’s the crux of it?  I probably have missed something because I haven’t been following it that closely to date.

When I read in the papers the other week that a doctor had been diagnosed with Ebola in New York upon his return from Africa, my immediate thought was that all personnel who had been working in a contamination zone should be quarantined.  The fact that Ebola has been contracted by nursing staff and doctors already, show that the safety guards are not fool proof.  So, in order to stop the spread, it sounded fairly logical to me.

But, then comes along Miss Hickox who challenges that idea.

I am really pleased that she is standing up for herself.  She will not be bullied by the US government like so many people would be.  She knows her rights, she knows the CDC requirements.  She knows the symptoms to watch out for.  Given that she lived in the middle of it all, I doubt anyone knows what to watch for better than she does, and having seen the results of no treatment, or poor treatment, or late treatment, I am sure she will be first in line banging down the door if there is an ounce of a symptom showing.

But… What if she does turn symptomatic and she does infect even one person.  How would she be able to live with her conscience knowing that that one person could have been saved if she had just followed the rules?

I am not American and so the mass hysteria sweeping over there is not something I am buying into.  I think the media have made more of this than necessary, and not in small part because it’s coming up for campaigning time in the US, so the Republicans want to say that the Democrats can’t deal with this and use it as a scaremongering platform.  A Democrat candidate probably wants to say it’s all Obama’s fault somehow so that they can oust him that way.

Taking away the media bias, it is a matter however that gives your mind a good little exercise.  Mental gymnastics as you are trying to work out which side of an argument you fall on is one of the most interesting discussions you can (inaudibly!) have with yourself.  You can further your mind by researching and reading and forming your own opinions.  You should never just believe what the media tell you, but come to your own conclusion.

I doubt this is going to be something I decide on anytime soon.  But I will enjoy the ride while I do!