IOWA QUARANTINE ORDER SURFACES: Go into quarantine or be imprisoned

IOWA QUARANTINE ORDER SURFACES: Go into quarantine or be imprisoned

Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 September 2009 08:21
Tuesday, 01 September 2009 07:56

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A model quarantine order allowing the Iowa Department of Public Health to put anyone who is determined to have had contact with a person with the "swine flu" into a quarantine facility has surfaced.

Under the quarantine order that appears to date from May 1st, 2009 , people will be allowed to bring only clothing, toiletries and other personal items to the quarantine facility. They are told they will have "limited" access to a phone and "may bring their cell phone if they "desire to have greater access to a means of communication". It is not clear if there is even internet access.

They will not be authorized to go to work, although the wording of the order leaves the door open to work inside the facility without making it clear if the work will be obligatory or not or what the nature of the work will be.

No one will be able to leave the quarantine facility without the written prior permission of the Iowa Publich Health Department.

Failure to comply with the order is a misdeamour for which a person can be fined, arrested or imprisoned.

http://www2a.cdc.gov/phlp/docs/Facility%20Quarantine%20Order%20novelflu%20filled%20in%204-30-09.pdf

It is clear that the swine flu is a mild disease -- if it exists at all -- and in no way justifies a quarantine. The symptoms listed for the "swine flu" such as a cough and sore throat could apply to normal flu.

Furthermore, a US government study showed that rapid diagnosis of the "swine flu" have overestimated it in as many as nine cases out of ten, making it unclear how the department of health in Iowa intends to determine who is infected or who isn't and who should or should not go into quarantine.

Many US states allow forced vaccination uner the Model State Emergency Health Powers Act but a few States such as Nevada explicity forbid forced vaccination while allowing quarantine or detention in the event of a "pandemic".

The Iowa quantine order carries sinister echoes of the Nazi concentration camp facilities.

The concentration camp "Auschwitz" is notorious for having had the slogan "Work makes you free" over its entrance gate.

It is documented how the Nazis used deceit to encourage people to go of their own free will into the concentration camps by suggesting to them these were regular settlement and labour camps and by allowing people to bring along personal belongings etc - only for people to find out too late that these were death camps.

Below is the model order for Iowa, appartly issued to incorporate provisions of the WHO's International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 into state (and federal) legislation, so making it highly likely that other states in the USA as well as other countries around the world that are members of WHO and have signed onto the IHR have similar orders.



BEFORE THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

_____________________________________________________________________

DIRECTED TO: ) [insert case #]

)

[insert full name and )

address of subject of order] ) FACILITY QUARANTINE ORDER

_____________________________________________________________________

The Iowa Department of Public Health (Department) has determined that you have had contact with a person with Novel Influenza A H1N1. Novel Influenza A H1N1 is a disease which is spread from person to person and is associated fever (greater than 100.0 F), cough, sore throat, rhinorrhea (runny nose), nasal congestion, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Novel Influenza A H1N1 presents a risk of serious harm to public health and if it spreads in the community severe public health consequences may result.

The Department has determined that it is necessary to quarantine your movement to a specific facility to prevent further spread of this disease. The Department has determined that quarantine in your home and other less restrictive alternatives are not acceptable because [insert the reason home quarantine is not acceptable, the person violated a previously issued home quarantine order, the person does not have an appropriate home setting conducive to home quarantine, etc.] The Department is therefore ordering you to comply with the following provisions during the entire period of quarantine:

1. Terms of confinement. You are ordered to remain at the quarantine facility, _____________________ [insert name and address of facility], from ___________ to ____________ [insert dates of quarantine].

2. Requirements during confinement. During the period of quarantine:

a. You must not leave the quarantine facility at any time unless you have received prior written authorization from the Department to do so.

b. You must not come into contact with anyone except the following persons:

(i) other persons who are also under similar quarantine order at the quarantine facility;

(ii) authorized healthcare providers and other staff at the quarantine facility;

(iii) authorized Department staff or other persons acting on behalf of the Department; and

(iv) such other persons as are authorized by the Department.

c. Your daily needs, including food, shelter, and medical care, will be provided for you during the period of quarantine at the quarantine facility. You should bring clothing, toiletries, and other personal items with you to the quarantine facility. You will have limited access to a telephone at the quarantine facility. You may bring your cell phone with you should you desire to have greater access to a means of communication. 5/1/2009

d. You should inform your employer that you are under quarantine order and are not authorized to physically come to the work place, although you may work from the facility via electronic or other means if appropriate. You should be aware that Iowa law prohibits an employer from firing, demoting, or otherwise discriminating against an employee due to the compliance of an employee with a quarantine order issued by the Department. (Iowa Code section 139A.13A).

3. Information about Novel Influenza A H1N1. You should review the information contained at Attachment A for information about Novel Influenza A H1N1. You should refer to information provided at the quarantine facility to address specific concerns and questions you have about Novel Influenza A H1N1. In order to find out more information about Novel Influenza A H1N1 and its symptoms and spread, you may also access the Department’s web-page at www.idph.state.ia.us. If you do not have access to the internet from the quarantine facility, you may contact the Department at 1-800-362-2736. 4. Legal authority. This order is issued pursuant to the legal authority contained at Iowa Code chapters 135, 139A and 641 Iowa Administrative Code chapter 1, a copy of which is labeled Attachment B and is attached to this order for your review. The Department shall comply with the principles for quarantine contained in subrule 1.9(3) of this attachment when issuing and implementing this order. 5. Ensuring compliance. In order to ensure that you strictly comply with this Quarantine Order the Department or persons authorized by the Department may regularly inspect the quarantine facility. 6. Violations of order. If you fail to comply with this Quarantine Order you may be ordered to be quarantined in a more restrictive facility. In addition, failure to comply with this order is a simple misdemeanor for which you may be arrested, fined, and imprisoned. 7. Your rights B appeal rights. While under quarantine you have the rights as described in subrule 1.9(8) of Attachment B. In addition, you have the right to appeal this order pursuant to subrule 1.9(7) of Attachment B.