U.S. quarantines 'chilling' Ebola fight in West Africa - MSF

[Gert van der Hoek]

U.S. quarantines 'chilling' Ebola fight in West Africa - MSF

Source: Reuters - Fri, 31 Oct

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Mandatory quarantines ordered by some U.S. states for doctors and nurses returning from West Africa's Ebola outbreak are creating a "chilling effect" on aid work there, the humanitarian aid group Doctors Without Borders said on Thursday.

In response to questions from Reuters, the group said it was discussing whether to shorten some assignments as a result of restrictions imposed by several states since one of its American doctors, Craig Spencer, was hospitalized in New York City last week with the virus.

"There is rising anxiety and confusion among MSF staff members in the field over what they may face when they return home upon completion of their assignments in West Africa," Sophie Delaunay, executive director of Doctors Without Borders in the United States, said in a statement emailed to Reuters.

More: Alert Net

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: U.S. quarantines 'chilling' Ebola fight in West Africa - MSF

31 October 2014

UN chief defends returning Ebola aid workers

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has said discrimination against aid workers who return home from the Ebola crisis in West Africa is "unacceptable".

Strict quarantine rules are hampering aid efforts when more health workers are needed in order to deal with the crisis, he told BBC News in Nairobi.

International efforts have been insufficient but are now "catching up", the UN secretary general added.

"We have been really trying to mobilise in a massive way," he said.

More: BBC News

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: U.S. quarantines 'chilling' Ebola fight in West Africa - MSF

oct 31 2014

'People Are Worried': Aid Groups See Fallout From Quarantine Debate

BY ERIN MCCLAM AND STACEY NAGGIAR

The fight over Ebola quarantines in the United States is already discouraging doctors, nurses and other health workers from signing up to go to Africa and battle the outbreak where help is needed most.

Would-be volunteers are worried about losing three additional weeks of work when they return to the United States, about still-evolving isolation rules and about being holed up in an unfamiliar place, aid organizations say.

They also worry about mistreatment generated by the public fear of Ebola, the organizations say.

More: NBC News

[bwilde]

Re: U.S. quarantines 'chilling' Ebola fight in West Africa - MSF

So they are more worried about losing 3 weeks of work than they are about possibly exposing their family and fellow citizens to a deadly disease? That's problem here, not seeing any concern from these folks as to folks at home. There are HCWS abiding by the quarantines without a big scene but MSF doesnt want to talk about those...

[annaraven]

Re: U.S. quarantines 'chilling' Ebola fight in West Africa - MSF

This is exactly why Dr Bucks (in California) is so important - to counter this kind of reaction. I would have absolutely no qualms about trusting him to treat me once his quarantine is over, or over anything he had to say about ebola. Because he's acting very clearly with everyone's interest at heart.

I applaud those who are willing to go help stop this where it needs to be stopped. And who care enough to not endanger the public when they come home again.

Given the importance of this situation - I do think employers and states could consider providing some level of monetary compensation to help those HCWs who cannot afford the extra three weeks off work.

[MHSC]

Re: U.S. quarantines 'chilling' Ebola fight in West Africa - MSF

MSF has been paying them so they won't work for three weeks after their return.

Edit: I'm not sure if that is clear, what I mean is they are getting paid for the three weeks after they return courtesy of MSF and the purpose of this is to stay home. This has been going on for some time, so they can't use the excuse that they need a paycheck.