WHITE HOUSE – The President on Sunday afternoon convened his public health and national security teams to discuss appropriate measures to mitigate the risk of additional domestic Ebola cases. The President’s advisors updated him on policy considerations for new measures pertaining to returning healthcare workers, whose selfless efforts are critical to fighting this epidemic in West Africa.
The President underscored that the steps we take must be guided by the best medical science, as informed by our most knowledgeable public health experts. He also emphasized that these measures must recognize that healthcare workers are an indispensable element of our effort to lead the international community to contain and ultimately end this outbreak at its source, and should be crafted so as not to unnecessarily discourage those workers from serving. He directed his team to formulate policies based on these principles in order to offer the highest level of protection to the American people.
WH concerned about "unintended consequences" of new quarantine policies adopted by NY, NJ & IL for travelers from west Africa.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 26, 2014
WH says Pres Obama stressed that new policies "must be guided by the best medical science" per "most knowledgeable public health experts."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 26, 2014
WH statement says Pres Obama says any new screening policies "must recognize … essential" nature of returning healthcare workers.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 26, 2014
WH says it has let quarantine states know the federal govt is working on new screening guidelines for returning healthcare workers.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 26, 2014
The WH says its guidelines are meant to protect Americans while not discouraging US healthcare workers in West Africa.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 26, 2014
White House preparing guidelines for returning healthcare workers http://t.co/LUNdk82FlJ
— The Hill (@thehill) October 26, 2014