White House Eyeing New Ebola Rules after Backlash

The White House is at work on new guidelines for handling health workers returning from parts of West Africa dealing with the Ebola outbreak.
    
This comes after four states -- New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Illinois -- enacted new mandatory quarantine rules that are stirring up some controversy.
 
Meanwhile, New Jersey is releasing Kaci Hickox, the first traveler automatically detained under new rules, from a forced 21-day quarantine.

The  move comes after the 33-year-old objected to her mandatory isolation, calling her treatment "inhumane."
       
"To quarantine everyone, in case, you know, when you cannot predict who may develop Ebola or not, and to make me stay for 21 days, to not be with my family, to put me through this emotional and physical stress, is completely unacceptable," Hickox told CNN'S Candy Crowley by phone.
 
"I feel like my basic human rights have been violated," she added.
  
Hickcox hired attorney Norman Siegal to take up her cause.
 
"There's no reason for the state of New Jersey to keep her quarantined," Siegal said.
    
Initially, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie defended his decision, saying his job is to "protect the people of the state of New Jersey."
 
"The protocol is clear that a New Jersey resident with no symptoms, but who has come into contact with someone with Ebola, such as a health care provider, would be subject to a mandatory quarantine order and quarantined at home. Non-residents would be transported to their homes if feasible and, if not, quarantined in New Jersey," Christie's office said in a statement.
 
In the meantime, the White House is expressing concerns about the new state guidelines. The administration is now at work on designing new protocols for "handling health workers returning from West Africa."

"We have been examining the protocols for protecting our brave health care workers and, guided by the science, we'll continue to work with state and local officials to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety and health of the American people," President Barack Obama said in his weekly address.
   
But some critics say the White House is part of the problem.
 
"I think governors of both parties are reacting to an absence of leadership, an absence of belief that the federal government really does know what they're doing," Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said.
    
New York's governor is now opting for supervised check-ups at home for 21 days.
    
Meanwhile Dr. Craig Spencer, the New York Ebola patient who triggered the new policy, remains in serious but stable condition in a Manhattan hospital.
    
Many are saying he should have voluntarily isolated himself  as others have done - including CBN News's George Thomas, who spent time in Liberia covering the Ebola crisis.
 
"Clearly, he should have taken the precautions as I have in the last two and a half weeks," Thomas said. "He should have known this as a doctor. He should have known the potential... 21 day quarantine."