Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Calls on the CDC to Increase Duration of Incubation Period to Prevent the Spread of Ebola in the U.S.

Statement

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02)today called for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to implement stricter incubation guidelines for individuals who have been in contact with patients confirmed or suspected to have the Ebola virus. She is calling for the CDC to increase the quarantine and restriction period of such persons from the current 21-day standard to 42 days, based on the latest scientific studies and the World Health Organization (WHO) report that the incubation period for the deadly Ebola virus can extend as long as 42 days.

"I strongly recommend that the CDC follow the WHO guidelines of a 42-day incubation period, which is based on the latest scientific findings--it is far better to err on the side of caution," said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. "The forty-eight individuals who had direct contact with Thomas Duncan, the first person to die of Ebola in the United States, should extend their quarantine and protective order to 42 days--not 21 days as the CDC currently mandates.

"We have seen how the CDC's protocols are out of date and are now being revised. Likewise, the research the CDC is basing its 21-day standard on is outdated, and therefore its policies regarding quarantine or the monitoring of individuals who have been directly exposed to Ebola patients need to be updated. Because recent reports by the WHO have established that the incubation period for the Ebola virus can extend as long as 42 days, the CDC needs to err on the side of caution and enforce this same standard to prevent further spread of the disease in the United States."

Source