What to know
Response to the 2014–2015 Ebola virus disease outbreak required an understanding of complex public health issues, including the role of law in controlling the spread of infectious diseases. The following resources and trainings developed by the Public Health Law Program address potential questions from responders and the public about Ebola-related legal issues.
Ebola Activities and Updates
Describes the analysis of state and territorial Ebola screening, monitoring, and movement policies as of August 31, 2015. Published in MMWR 2015;64:1145–6.
Ebola and the Law: Legal Preparedness for Physicians and Hospitals
Describes case law, statutes, and information about CDC guidance for healthcare and public health attorneys to address questions and concerns related to legal preparedness for potential infectious disease outbreaks.
Domestic Legal Preparedness and Response to Ebola
Initial cases of Ebola in the US raise varied legal issues. This article presents perspectives on 1) state and local powers to quarantine and isolate people and 2) hospital preparedness underlying the treatment of Ebola patients. Published in The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, v. 43, n.s1 (Spring 2015). © American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.
Ebola Monitoring and Movement Protocols: CDC Recommendations and State Requirements (youtube.com)
Gregory Sunshine, JD, public health analyst with Carter Consulting, Inc. for CDC's Public Health Law Program, describes the role CDC plays in our public health and legal systems and explains how this affected the state Ebola monitoring and movement protocols. This event was not organized by the TED conferences — this was an independently organized TEDMED event.
Ebola Movement and Monitoring Policies Table
Table of state-by state protocols to help law and policy makers prepare and respond to Ebola-related situations. CDC's Public Health Law Program and Office of the Associate Director for Policy compiled an Interim Table of State Ebola Screening and Monitoring Policies for Asymptomatic Individuals to help law and policy makers prepare for and respond to Ebola-related situations. Information provided and conclusions reached in this table were based only on publicly available orders, protocol documentation, and press releases.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: Information available on this website that was not developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not necessarily represent any CDC policy, position, or endorsement of that information or of its sources. The information contained on this website is not legal advice; if you have questions about a specific law or its application you should consult your legal counsel.