Nurse praises judge's rejection of quarantine

FORT KENT, Maine – Kaci Hickox described as a "good compromise" a judge's ruling on Friday that rejected state efforts to quarantine the nurse in her home but does require her to submit to daily monitoring for the Ebola virus.

The order by Chief Judge Charles LaVerdiere eased his earlier, temporary ruling and will remain in effect until there is a hearing on the state's bid for an outright quarantine for Hickox, who recently treated Ebola patients in West Africa.

The ruling instructs Hickox to submit to daily health monitoring, coordinate her travel with public health authorities, and notify officials if she develops any symptoms of the deadly virus.

"I am very satisfied with the decision," she told reporters in front of her boyfriend's home. "The three points that he is still recommending that I abide by are the three points that I believe are part of this good compromise that we can make."

She said she has already been complying with the CDC recommendations for daily monitoring and "I will continue to be compliant."

"It is a good day," she told reporters, adding that she and boyfriend Ted Wilbur intended to have dinner and watch a scary Halloween movie.

The judge dropped his earlier requirement that Hickox remain in Fort Kent, avoid public places and maintain a three-foot buffer around other people.

Hickox sidestepped a question of whether she would now go into Fort Kent since there is no quarantine, saying she is taking events "minute by minute."

In his ruling, LaVerdiere said flatly that the state had failed to make its case for an outright quarantine. He quoted from an affidavit by the director of the Maine CDC that emphasized that a person without Ebola symptoms cannot spread the disease.

The state had sought a quarantine through Nov. 10, which would mark the end of the 21-day incubation period for Ebola.

Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican facing a tough re-election bid next week, said that despite the state's best efforts, Hickox had refused to cooperate, WLBZ-TV reports.

"As governor, I have done everything I can to protect the health and safety of Mainers," he said."The judge has eased restrictions with this ruling and I believe it is unfortunate. However, the state will abide by law."

The judge also lavished praise on Hickox for her public service in treating Ebola patients in West Africa,

"We would not be here today unless (Hickox) generously, kindly and with compassion, lent her skills to aid, comfort and care for individuals stricken with the terrible disease," he wrote. "We need to remember as we go through this matter that we owe her and all professions who give of themselves in this way a debt of gratitude."

LaVerdiere also noted the "misconceptions, misinformation, bad science and bad information being spread from shore to shore in our country" with respect to Ebola.

While acknowledging that people are acting "out of fear and that this fear is not entirely rational," he wrote that the fear is nonetheless "present and it is real."

He called on Hickox to respect this reality and "guide herself accordingly."

Hickox defied the state's earlier "voluntary" quarantine on Thursday by going biking for about 45 minutes with her boyfriend, Ted Wilbur.

The quarantine attempt is shaping up as the nation's biggest test case yet in the struggle to balance public health and fear of Ebola against personal freedom.

Hickox, a nurse for Doctors Without Borders who treated Ebola patients in Sierra Leone, says confinement violates her rights. She says that she has no symptoms and poses no risk to the public.

Kaitlyn Chana reports for WLBZ-TV in Bangor. Contributing: Associated Press

Follow Doug Stanglin on Twitter: @dstanglin