I want to commend Gov. Chris Christie for his firm, sensible stance on quarantining health care workers who may have come in contact with the Ebola virus.
The enormous potential for Ebola to spread in the United States is something no government official can take lightly. Since the smallpox and measles epidemics of the 18th century up through the influenza pandemic of the early 20th century, quarantining infected persons has been a proven method of containing and stopping the spread of infectious diseases.
The fact that the Ebola virus can be transmitted through droplets distributed from a sneeze illustrates the severity of the threat. Even Nobel laureate Dr. Bruce Beutler has backed Christie’s quarantine, stating that it is unclear whether individuals who do not exhibit symptoms of Ebola can still transmit the virus.
The governor’s strong leadership on this issue should be an example for Washington as the president struggles to formulate a policy that will protect the American people from what could be a catastrophic outbreak of this deadly disease.
Gerry Scharfenberger
Middletown Township Committee