Ebola Quarantined Nurse Kaci Hickox Files a Suit Against Governor Chris Christie

Ebola Quarantined Nurse Kaci Hickox Files a Suit Against Governor Chris Christie

Kaci
Hickox, the nurse gratuitously quarantined by New Jersey governor Chris
Christie, has now filed  suit against the
governor, as well as the former state health commissioner and a number of the
state’s health departments.
Without renunciation, Hickox
was dragged into quarantine in 2014 after returning  to the United States from West Africa where
she was treating and taking care of  Ebola patients. Nevertheless Hickox tested
negative for the disease, Christie got her quarantined as the case may be; apparently
to alleviate some of  the ungrounded fright
that had swept speedily through the nation. Christie held Hickox in quarantine
for three days despite chorus of disapproval from the public health community
who called the
measures superfluous and needless.

During her time in
quarantine, Hickox threatened to sue and, in his familiar style, Christie responded, “Whatever. Get in line. I’ve been
sued lots of times before. Get in line. I’m happy to take it on.” Hickox has
taken Christie up on the offer. The lawsuit, filed in a U.S. District Court in
Newark, charges that
the governor and state health officials “illegally and unconstitutionally held
Hickox against her will as part of a mandatory
quarantine
 for anyone
returning from certain West African countries who treated patients with Ebola.”

“I never had Ebola. I never
had symptoms of Ebola. I tested negative for Ebola the first night I stayed in
New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s private prison,” Hickox said in
a statement
. “My liberty, my interests and consequently my civil rights were
ignored because some ruthless governors saw an opportunity to use an age-old
political tactic: fear.”

Last year, Christie
dismissed Hickox’s complaints about quarantine, pointing out that even though
she was being held against her will and the advice of the medical community,
she was being treated to the New Jersey high life. “She was inside the hospital
in a climate-controlled area with access to her cellphone, access to the
Internet and takeout food from the best restaurants in Newark,” Christie said. Poor lady, first she treats Ebola
patients, then she’s forced into quarantine, and then she’s subjected to Newark
restaurants.