Isolated inside a tent, Kaci Hickox remains involuntarily quarantined at a New Jersey hospital.
“We believe that the medical experts should be directing these policies not politicians,” said Hickox’s attorney, Norman Siegel.
Siegel criticized New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's new policy to impose a mandatory 21-day quarantine to any health care worker returning from West African countries with Ebola outbreaks.
That’s the situation Hickox, a 2002 University of Texas-Arlington graduate, found herself in after traveling from Sierra Leone Friday where she was a nurse for the nonprofit Doctors Without Borders.
“Quarantine measures or coercive measures against aid workers could give a superfluous sense of security while the most important thing is to tackle the epidemic at its source --- there," said Doctors Without Borders Executive Director Sophie Delaunay, on NBC's Meet the Press Sunday morning.
Hickox has tested negative and shown no symptoms of the virus.
“The medical people that we’ve talked to will be recommending there’s no reason medically to keep her quarantined,” said Siegel.
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Despite harsh opposition to new the policy, Christie stands firmly by his decision.
“I understand Ms. Hickox is uncomfortable and I understand that she doesn't want to be quarantined,” said Christie. “But my responsibility, my greater responsibility is the 8.9 million people of the state of New Jersey.”
Hickox's attorneys plan to file a federal lawsuit against the state of New Jersey later this week.
*Update* The New Jersey State Health Department said Hickox was being discharged Monday and sent to Maine, per her request. She will be taken via private carrier, not by mass transit or commercial jet.
