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Maine court orders restrictions on Ebola nurse in line with CDC guidelines

A Maine judge ordered Kaci Hickox to restrict her movements along the lines of federal Ebola guidelines, but did not order a quarantine.

By Gabrielle Levy
Courtesy Kaci Hickox.
Courtesy Kaci Hickox.

FORT KENT, Maine, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The state of Maine has issued a temporary order restricting nurse Kaci Hickox, who has fought against enforced quarantine since she returned from West Africa after treating Ebola patients last week.

An order signed by Judge Charles C. LaVerdier, chief judge of Maine District Courts in Kennebec and Somerset County, requires Hickox to avoid public transit and businesses and remain at least three feet away from others while outdoors for 21 days after her last contact with Ebola.

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She must also continue to submit to monitoring and visits from health officials, and she may not leave Fort Kent without first consulting with public health authorities.

The order is in line with the guidelines released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that categorize healthcare workers who have had direct contact with Ebola patients, but were careful about wearing personal protective gear as "some risk."

In something of a compromise, the state's petition did not mention a quarantine. Hickox and state authorities publicly battled over how much caution was necessary for public safety.

LaVerdier ordered a hearing be held within 10 days to determine whether the quarantine violates her civil rights.

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Hickox has tested negative for Ebola and shows no symptoms, and had vowed not to comply with a quarantine. On Thursday morning, she and her boyfriend defied the state's wishes and went on a bike ride.

Mayhew v. Hickox

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