ACLU of Maine Statement on Government Response to Fort Kent Nurse

Affiliate: ACLU of Maine
October 30, 2014 10:13 am

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The following statement can be attributed to Alison Beyea, executive director of the ACLU of Maine:

Kaci Hickox is a trained medical professional complying with medical guidelines, including those laid out in the New England Journal of Medicine. She shows no symptoms and is carefully monitoring her health. She poses neither a clear nor imminent threat to public safety. While there are situations where protecting public health would justify limits on civil liberties, this isn’t one of them.

In times like this, it is of utmost importance that the government remain transparent and even-handed and avoid overreaction. Extreme measures like mandatory quarantines and police intervention raise serious concerns about government overreach, not to mention frighten the public. This is a public health situation and our response should be guided by sound medical science, not by fear.

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