It is ironic to me that the Herald expressed its opinion that a mandatory quarantine of returning health-care workers from the Ebola-stricken countries is “an unnecessary overstep” (Oct. 30) when – in the same edition – it published a story titled “Is U.S. prepared for Ebola?” with the answer clearly being “no.” Quarantining might be distasteful for returning health-care workers, but it is probably a time-buying interim solution.
The U.S. health-care system cannot handle an Ebola outbreak. The four institutions capable of “curing” an Ebola patient can care for no more than a few patients at a time. With an approximate two-week length of stay, only a handful of Ebola patients could be adequately cared for.
And has anyone considered the full cost of the intense and highly critical care required for Ebola patients – let alone the cost of flying them to one of the four health-care entities in a specially equipped private jet? Who pays for the personnel who must identify all those in contact with the Ebola patient for the prior 21 days, then monitor them and/or hazmat their homes and apartments or the planes and vehicles they traveled in? What about the special costs associated with disposing of Ebola-contaminated supplies and possibly bodies?
For all those concerned about the costs of Obamacare, wait until they know the full costs of providing Ebola care for one individual!
A practical interim solution is to inform those who are visiting Ebola-stricken areas to budget three weeks post-exposure or post-visit that they will be quarantined upon their return to the states. Perhaps it can be an opportunity to write that memoir, finish off-putting paperwork, perhaps enjoy a private retreat. Quarantining will help reduce the public’s fear and potential panic while providing valuable time for scientists and leadership to shift their attention to education and developing a coordinated response as you suggest.
And let’s be honest: If the Maine nurse does develop Ebola, I suspect she will want the best care available to cure her.
Louise Lawson
Mancos
