TACOMA, Wash. — Health officials say a Tacoma woman with tuberculosis could be arrested as soon as Friday after she has refused to isolate or take life-saving medication for over a year.
“We have worked with family and community members for more than a year to do everything we can to persuade this woman to take her medication to protect herself and our community,” said Nigel Turner, division director of Communicable Disease Control in Pierce County, in aOn Friday, the judge overseeing this case found the woman in civil contempt for refusing to comply with an order to resume taking her medication or voluntarily isolate herself.
Lol 'voluntarily' isolate herself isn't really the right word choice here cuz that implies she has a choice and they are making it clear she doesn't if she's gonna get criminal charges for choosing not to
But during the pandemic GovInslee signed a bill into law decriminalizing the intentional spreading of Bloodborne pathogens, including HIV. Surely simply refusing treatment for a bacterial infection can't be criminal.