Being stupid and contagious is not an option

It's unlikely Kurt Cobain was thinking of the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center employee who broke quarantine when he wrote the lyrics to his iconic "Smells like Teen Spirit."

But it is ironic in a way that it was a health care worker who should know about infectious diseases and quarantines and germs and droplets and close contact.

Ironic is actually the most innocuous of adjectives that could be applied.

There's also irresponsible, foolhardy, selfish, negligent, unthinking, reprehensible and well, just stupid.

The health worker who was presumptively diagnosed as having the coronavirus was told to stay quarantined but instead went to an event at a function hall with about 200 other unsuspecting associates of the Tuck School of Business, part of Dartmouth University.

He was later determined to be positive for the coronavirus, officially called COVID-19. One of his colleagues he attended the event with whom he was supposed to have had "close contact" with is now testing presumptively positive to the disease.

The colleague is also a health care worker from Dartmouth Hitchcock. It's not clear whether the colleague knew his acquaintance was under quarantine.

The upshot is that now state health officials say it's likely more coronavirus cases will be detected in the northern part of the state, in part due to potential infection of the 200 other unsuspecting folks who attended the invitation-only business school function at the Engine Room in White River Junction, Vt.

It's the purview of the state's DHHS chief to determine what steps should be taken to ensure compliance with a quarantine.

According to state statute 141-C:11, the DHHS commissioner, "shall establish isolation or quarantine for persons who are cases or carriers, or suspected cases or carriers of communicable diseases."

With regard to enforcement of such quarantine, the statute notes, "The commissioner shall adopt such rules regarding the establishment, maintenance and lifting of isolation and quarantine as the commissioner may deem best for protecting the health of the public."

Jake Leon, a public information officer for the state's Department of Health and Human Services, said it's rare that the department has to enforce isolation scenarios.

"We usually do not need to exercise authority, as people with symptoms would rather follow guidance from providers or public health officials," he wrote in an email to The Rochester Voice.

When State epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan first announced the health care worker as testing positive earlier this week, he said they were on "home isolation." He then added that the individual had recently been to Italy so that it was likely travel related and not community spread.

Well, it's community spread now, because the infected health care worker traveled across the Connecticut River into Vermont to attend the business school function.

So health officials have to be very clear in the future to let people know what the meaning of "quarantine" is. And not to break it.

This person put personal indulgence above public safety.

In the future there should be a consequence for such action.