Second ebola nurse "okay'd" to fly

Nurses COVID

Published

Specializes in NICU.

The second nurse who contracted the ebola virus has been recently flagellated for boarding a plane, including the CDC director stating that it she never should have gotten on the plane...when in fact she called the CDC directly and was told it was okay to fly on the plane!

The treatment of these nurses is incredible...

Vinson told CBS Dallas Fort Worth that she was feeling ill before boarding her flight. She had a low grade fever, but she said that officials told her it was okay to get on the plane. Vinson told CBS that she called the CDC several times with concerns.

The CDC confirmed to FOX 4 News that they gave Vinson the green light to fly.

Vinson's comments contradict remarks made earlier today by CDC Director Tom Freiden, who said that she never should have gotten on the plane.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/15/amber-vinson-cdc-ebola_n_5993486.html

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I don't know who to believe. Fox news hasn't run a single word about the nurse calling the CDC. They would run with that bit of information just to make the administration look bad.

It's hard for me to imagine the level of incompetence involved, if the CDC told this nurse to board that flight.

And finally, why would the nurse need to contact anybody about whether it was ok or not? Is there a single nurse here who doesn't know the repurcussions of that act on the other people on board that flight?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology.

Fox News is now reporting that she called the CDC first. Megyn Kelly is pretty riled up about it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.
Megyn Kelly is pretty riled up about it.

Surprising? Ever see her in any other state?

sorry, off topic

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It would seem that she should've known too not fly and go check into a hospital (there are at least two very good hospitals in Cleveland including the Cleveland Clinic for one). My first question would be why did she choose to travel in the first place given her exposure, but that's a question for another day. I hope she is able to beat this terrible disease as I hope her colleague being treated in Texas will as well. Been watching the TV on this for the last couple of days and the blame throwing is incredible....especially with so little information to go on. IF someone in the CDC did give her the green light to fly, they ought to be called to the fore on it...especially since the head of the CDC was so quick to condemn her action. But again, personal responsibility plays a lot in this whole scenario. I'm sure her friends and family are just thrilled to find themselves having to self-quarantine.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical care.

Ugggghhhh I have so many opinions about this subject.

First of all, the media needs to STOP jumping to conclusions and blaming nurses before they have all their facts! "She broke protocol!" (ten minutes later) "ummmm just kidding there is no protocol and they've been putting tape on their necks for protection." Then, the next day: "She flew! In spite of guidelines" (ten seconds later) "Ummmm just kidding. She had tacit permission." Drives me crazy. Yes, there may have been a protocol breach and no, she wasn't supposed to fly but pointing fingers helps no one.

Second, obviously, the flight should NEVER have happened. I guess I am naive but I honestly thought the CDC was better-organized and better-prepared for a biological incident such as this one, than their response shows that they are. We have known about this virus since 1976 and no on at the CDC apparently has thought through the "what if" scenarios, made a plan for them, developed protocols and trained on them? We're hearing talk about new "Ebola SWAT teams" they're coming up with, but things like that should have been in place long before now. People being monitored should be put on no-fly lists to prevent uncontrolled movement (we can put three-year olds with the same name as a suspected terrorist on that list, but somehow possible Ebola patients don't make the cut?).

You would think the CDC would know how to do their jobs well enough to prevent someone being screened for and who is starting to show symptoms from boarding a freaking plane!

My last (current) hangup is, they are saying she was "low risk" because she had "not yet shown symptoms"... but she had the 99.5 temperature before she boarded the plane, and then she discovered her significantly elevated temperature the next morning. So at some point in time between taking her temperature when getting on the plane, and the next morning, she developed "symptoms." Who's to say she wasn't developing them while she was on the plane? And thereby, "contagious"? Who's to say that a temperature of 99.5 that turns out to be significant (ie, obviously wasn't a fluke as her temp only went up from there) isn't enough of a "symptom" to be contagious? The fact of the matter is, they just don't know. The strain isolated in the current outbreak is a new one, thought to be related to Ebola Zaire. They don't know the exact infectious dose of this strain and they can't say with 100% confidence that there was no risk to plane passengers, because there was. They should be tracing every single one of those passengers and crew for the required 21 days- any one of them could have passed her seat, touched her seat, used the lavatory after her, etc. It is also my personal belief that the media should have been stopped from publishing the flight number and route that she took, as an issue of national security, in order to prevent public panic and ensure that the CDC has a chance to contact all passengers before the news broke and some potentially became unavailable out of fear or ignorance.

~~~~

Whew. Glad I got that off my chest. ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't think she was considered exposed until the first nurse tested positive. At that point I believe she had already flown. It was on her way back ( now knowing she was considered exposed) that she questioned if she could fly.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.
I don't think she was considered exposed until the first nurse tested positive. At that point I believe she had already flown. It was on her way back ( now knowing she was considered exposed) that she questioned if she could fly.

Yea, I was doing a timeline in my head and thinking if she flew North on Friday, very few knew about Ms. Pham's illness and the test didn't come back positive until that evening/night. Up until then, the healthcare team was considered low risk.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.
I don't think she was considered exposed until the first nurse tested positive. At that point I believe she had already flown. It was on her way back ( now knowing she was considered exposed) that she questioned if she could fly.

Common sense anyone that cared for the Ebola patient should have been on quarantine for the 21 day incubation period and that would include not traveling and being around others. Hard to believe the CDC ok'd her travel plans. Did she go anyway figuring this might be my last chance to see them before I die if I get Ebola? I just wonder what she was thinking?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Under ordinary circumstances, health care workers are not considered risks. It was only when the first nurse became ill, that the staff in the hospital was considered at risk. At that point she had already flown and needed to fly home. She checked with the CDC and she was cleared to fly.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

And common sense does not indicate that anyone who would take care of an ebola patient should be on 21 day monitoring. Common sense says that if you are being asked to take care of an ebola patient than you would be safe with training and equipment.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment