Megyn Kelly condemned the New York City physician who tested positive for Ebola Thursday night for not quarantining himself when he returned home from West Africa.
The Fox News host said that the patient, Dr. Craig Spencer, was "irresponsible" for going out in public when he had so recently returned from treating Ebola patients in Guinea. The day before his diagnosis, Dr. Spencer traveled by subway train, drove in an Uber car and visited several locations in New York City, including the High Line park in Manhattan and a Brooklyn bowling alley.
On Thursday night, Kelly discussed the news with Dr. Marc Siegel, who told her that the patient says he does not remember making any "slip from the protocol."
"Come on, Doc," Kelly interrupted. "This sounds irresponsible!'
"You're over there as this doctor treating Ebola patients, you're well aware of the contagiousness of this disease," she shot back. "He comes back into New York City. He knows he's been handling Ebola patients. And, he's here for a week, he doesn't tell anybody?"
The question of whether or not Dr. Spencer did in fact take all necessary precautions is still being investigated, but several sources have strongly defended the doctor and his handling of the situation. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, for example, would likely disagree with Kelly, stating Friday that Spencer "obviously felt he wasn't symptomatic" before going out in New York City. (Patients with Ebola are not contagious until they are symptomatic.) World Bank President Jim Yong Kim called Spencer a "hero" for his efforts to put a stop to the epidemic in West Africa. Vox's Sarah Kliff also called the doctor "brave and heroic" and urged readers to "stop criticizing his bowling trip."
"There is no evidence that Spencer failed to follow these guidelines," Kliff wrote. "Nor is there evidence that requiring doctors to quarantine for three weeks, if they are non-symptomatic, would do anything to stop the disease's spread."
In case you missed it, check out Kelly's intense interview with CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden from last week.
H/T Mediaite