Should Ebola Doctors Be Quarantined After Returning To U.S.?

Published October 24, 2014 at 1:06 PM EDT

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 23: (L-R) President of NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation Dr. Ram Raju, NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Travis Bassett, Mayor Bill DeBlasio of New York City, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York and Acting Commissioner of the Department of Health Dr. Howard Zucker speak at a press conference October 23, 2014 in New York City. The conference addressed Dr. Craig Spencer, who had returned to New York City from Guinea where he was working with Doctors Without Borders treating Ebola patients. Spencer had been quarantined after showing symptoms consistent with the virus and was taken to Bellevue hospital to undergo testing. According to reports, test results have confirmed that Spencer has contracted the Ebola virus. (Photo by Bryan Thomas/Getty Images)

Questions are being asked about whether all doctors volunteering to work in Ebola-stricken West Africa should be quarantined for 21 days once they return to the U.S. This is in light of a doctor, just back from Guinea, who is in isolation in a New York City hospital this morning with the virus.

The patient, Dr. Craig Spencer, rode the subway, went bowling and took a taxi before reporting he had a fever yesterday morning. Dr. Irwin Redlener, special adviser to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, spoke with Here & Now‘s Robin Young about the situation.

Guest

Irwin Redlener, physician and special adviser to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University. He tweets @IrwinRedlenerMD.