Report: CDC Told Nurse Who Contracted Ebola She Could Board Plane with Low-Grade Fever

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reportedly told Amber Joy Vinson, the second nurse at the Texas hospital that treated Thomas Eric Duncan to come down with Ebola, that it was okay for her to fly even after she told the CDC that she had a low-grade fever. 

On Wednesday, CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. John LaPook reported that “Vinson called the CDC several times before boarding the plane concerned about her fever and was told she was OK to board.” Vinson reportedly “first reported a fever to the hospital on Tuesday (Oct. 14) and was isolated within 90 minutes, according to officials.” She had been self-monitoring herself and called the CDC the day before when her temperature increased.

After Vinson came down with the Ebola virus, CDC director Tom Frieden said on Wednesday, “she should not have traveled on a commercial airline.” 

Too little, too late. 

Vinson is currently being transferred to Emory University hospital while the CDC is trying to contact all of the Frontier Airlines passengers on the Oct. 13 flight (1143) from Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth. 

Nina Pham, the first nurse to contract Ebola at the Texas hospital that treated Duncan, reportedly exhibited symptoms even before she had a fever, which leads to more questions about why Vinson was allowed to get on a plane before the 21-day Ebola incubation period ended.