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Christie: Maine Nurse Approved for Release from New Jersey Quarantine

NEWARK, N.J. - A nurse who's been forcibly quarantined in New Jersey after returning from treating Ebola patients in West Africa is being allowed to return home to Maine.

Gov. Chris Christie says Kaci Hickox, 33, who's been quarantined in Newark for the past three days, despite having no symptoms of Ebola and testing negative for the virus, will be allowed to return to Maine, where local health officials will determine how she will monitor her health.

Christie told the New York Times that Hickox is expected to be transferred today after doctors and federal healfh officials approve her release plan.  

For the past month, Hickox has been working with Ebola patients in Sierra Leone as part of Doctors Without Borders. She returned to the U.S. Friday, and became the first person to be affected by the new policy. Hickox was planning to return to Fort Kent, Maine, where her boyfriend, Ted Wilbur, is a nursing student.

Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have ordered mandatory quarantine of all health care workers returning from West African nations where Ebola is raging.

Critics have blasted the policy, saying it discourages health care workers from going to West Africa to help stamp out the epidemic.

Hickox has called her treatment inhumane.

Meanwhile, on Saturday Maine released new Ebola monitoring protocols, which include monitoring all travelers to the affected region of West Africa for 21 days. Learn more about the new protocols.

Monday afternoon, Maine Gov. Gov. Paul LePage issued a statement on Hickox's release from quarantine:

“We commend all healthcare workers for their humanitarian work in West Africa and other regions of the world, and we are proud that they are always ready to help others,” said Governor LePage. “Upon the healthcare workers’ return home, we will follow the guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control for medical workers who have been in contact with Ebola patients. Additionally, we will work with the healthcare worker to establish an in-home quarantine protocol to ensure there is no direct contact with other Mainers until the period for potential infection has passed. We will help make sure the healthcare worker has everything to make this time as comfortable as possible.”