Ebola and the Evolving Ethics of Quarantine

Abstract

Within the context of the history of quarantine, both worldwide and in the United States, this essay analyzes current quarantine policies related to Ebola with an inquiry into both related bio-ethical concerns and an analysis of the ways in which emerging Ebola pharmaceutical treatments, particularly the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine, may shift quarantine policies. By way of background, the historical roots of quarantine are first briefly examined alongside an analysis of why quarantine policies were not instituted in relationship to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Then, current quarantine policies and procedures in both the developed and developing world are delineated, with an analysis of the application of these quarantine policies to Ebola. An overview is provided of how new treatment protocols may change Ebola quarantine alongside related bio-ethical concerns.