See also: Concerns About the Use of PCR Tests in Healthy People
Concerns About Isolation, Quarantine of Healthy Individuals
The VT Legislature should act to prevent the involuntary isolation or quarantine of any individuals, who have not been diagnosed by a physician and proven to be infectious with any disease.
Isolation or quarantine should be reserved only for diseases known to cause significant morbidity and mortality in Vermont or the US as a whole.
A screening test with a high rate of false positive results (like the PCR with cycle thresholds greater than 30) cannot be used, by itself, to make decisions over isolation or quarantine.
Third-party location data, contact tracing and tracking, a positive rapid test and/or failing to follow specific recommendations, etc., are too arbitrary, and should never be imposed as a requirement for the beginning or ending of the isolation or quarantine of a person not diagnosed by a physician to be infectious.
We should be extremely cautious about policies that allow for the arbitrary examination, testing, isolation or quarantine of any individuals who are healthy.
Regardless of existing isolation and quarantine laws, all potential isolation or quarantine of infectious individuals should be of the least restrictive means possible. “Least restrictive” means to be given reasonable notice and due process, and be protective of the right of the individual to remain in their home, in the presence of family and loved ones, without requirements to remodel.
Quarantine or isolation should never take away or alter the legal or medical custody of a person (even if diagnosed and infectious) who is under a parent or legal guardian; and minor child(ren) should remain under the care of their family at all times.
Quarantined individuals should retain their right to bodily autonomy – i.e., retain they their right to make health and to freely accept or decline health and medical interventions and treatments, including immunizations.