Ebola Epedemic

Ian Grant
10/29/2014

Mandatory Ebola Quarantines

     Provisions have been made by the U.S. to prevent the spread of ebola from African countries and promote awareness of ebola within the states. One of these provisions pertains to US soldiers and civilians returning home to the state after being stationed in areas near/within Ebola quarantine zones. According to Washington (CNN), a 21-day quarantine for all military personnel (only) serving in Ebola stricken areas of west Africa is expected to be approved by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Wednesday. This quarantine was called into effect due to the recent outbreak of the early signs of Ebola in America. In result of this epidemic, provisions such as these quarantines have been imposed to prevent further outbreaks from traveling back to the US. Previous efforts to prevent the outbreak have been successful despite the fact that we now know Ebola is present in America. This success has raised arguments on whether further quarantines are necessary to be enacted and Defensive Secretary Chuck Hagel is in favor of expanding this quarantine program due to recent Ebola cases in the US.

     Washington's (CNN) reports that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is expected to approve a 21-day quarantine for all military personnel serving in Ebola stricken areas of West Africa. The quarantine was pushed forth by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was acknowledge by the Pentagon. The provisions were originally pertaining to all civilians attempting to leave West Africa but assessments are being imposed to see whether or not quarantines are still necessary to enact towards US travelers seeking to return home to the states. The policy pushes for the creation of a separation of rules for military members and civilian health care workers. 

"President Obama has argued that civilian volunteer health workers returning from aid trips to Africa should not be quarantined and the White House has urged states not to impose their own quarantine policies. Science, Obama has said, does not support the need for a quarantine."

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/politics/military-ebola-quarantine/index.html?hpt=po_c2#

     Asked to explain the discrepancy between civilians and the military, Obama stated that service members have been sent to the Ebola region by him and health workers are going as volunteers. "It's part of their mission that's been assigned to them by their commanders and ultimately the commander-in-chief so they don't expect to have similar rules for military as we do for civilians," Obama said. Personnel, if they're in the military, are under more circumscribed conditions than sent civilian officials. The chiefs did not have new scientific or medical data about Ebola when they pressed for Hagel to approve the quarantine of military officials. This is simply about the chiefs looking at the best way to take care of the force, the families and the communities to which they are returning.  In their discussions, the chiefs noted that many of the US troops are young and inexperienced in any medical issues. There was concern they might not adhere to an informal protocols such as simply taking their temperature twice a day on their own. Concern for the troops were expressed on both the home front and stations within Europe. The US already has 1,000 troops on the ground, and that force could grow to a total of 4,000 which is the largest American group in this area. During the press conference, "The chiefs believe it is better to start more restrictive and then re-assess as we get further into the Ebola operation," said one official. 

     For now, troops will be held in quarantine at bases designated by each of the military services. There will be provisions for compassionate leave—allowing troops to leave quarantine if they have a family emergency such as an illness or death. The quarantine will also not apply to those just briefly travelling to Liberia, or aircrews flying in an out, although everyone is told to monitor their temperatures. The provision allows for specific restrictions to be lifted while also taking a cautious approach to this situation. We want to keep our civilians and troops safe in this time of disease and distress This provision is a step towards regulating the potential of spreading Ebola further in the US while also attempting to allow for certain travel restrictions to be lifted for those seeking to return home to the states.