Drexel Study Claims 21 Day Quarantine For Ebola Might Not Be Long Enough
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A new Drexel study published in the journal PLOS One suggests 21 days might not be a long enough quarantine period for those who have been exposed to the Ebola virus.
The research, which was conducted by Professor Charles Haas, PhD, and used data from both previous outbreaks and the first nine months of the current outbreak, claims that there is still a .1 to 12% risk of that person developing the virus if they are released from quarantine after 21 days.
"In other words from 0.1 to 12% of the time, an individual case will have a greater incubation time than 21 days," Haas concludes.
The current WHO guidance on quarantining people for Ebola is 21 days, which is based on the supposed 2-21 day incubation period; however, Haas suggests a broader look at the risk factors and the costs and benefits when setting a quarantine standard.
In response the CDC has said, "CDC doesn't comment on other research. CDC reports based on their findings. The recommended 21 days incubation time is based on their own research."
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