Florida Woman Trapped in Medical Facility After RFK Jr. Overrides CDC Expert

A Florida woman is stuck in a Nebraska medical facility, quarantined since May due to hantavirus exposure, after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed an order keeping her there against her will, according to her attorney.

Attorney Steven Hyman slammed the situation, calling it “an unfair system” as Angela Perryman remains locked up at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Hyman criticized Kennedy’s actions, stating, “Florida is willing to accept her and supervise her,” while pointing out the hypocrisy of Kennedy’s past opposition to COVID-19 restrictions, where he compared mask mandates to “living like a slave.”

Kennedy’s order, signed on a Monday, defied a quarantine medical officer from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who determined last week that Perryman could safely leave and be monitored at home.

The order lacked justification for overriding Dr. Michael Bell’s assessment, merely claiming it was “necessary to protect public health,” as per a document obtained by Inside Medicine.

Perryman described her confinement as “a prison,” despite the absence of physical violence, in comments made to The New York Times regarding her prolonged quarantine.

An HHS spokesperson defended Kennedy’s decision, citing the Andes virus's high fatality rate, which could be linked to Perryman’s exposure. The Andes virus has a staggering 40 percent case fatality rate—40 times that of COVID-19—and an incubation period of up to 42 days, during which symptoms can develop and transmission can occur.

Courtney Spencer stated that without proper home monitoring by state authorities, the quarantine order is essential for both Perryman’s safety and that of her community.

Perryman was among over a dozen individuals quarantined at the Nebraska facility after exposure on a cruise ship. Initially, federal health officials allowed passengers to leave and self-monitor at home.

This decision was later reversed, mandating that everyone remain at the facility for at least two weeks. Further restrictions were imposed, requiring health officials in their home states to agree to in-person monitoring and provide a 24-hour guard before anyone could leave.

According to Hyman, Perryman must stay at the facility until June 22.

Hyman accused Kennedy of making a political statement, emphasizing that the medical reviewer found no basis for either in-person monitoring or the presence of a guard.

Perryman is currently the only individual attempting to leave the facility. Health officials in Florida have rejected HHS’s stringent conditions for her release.

A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health confirmed the state’s willingness to facilitate Perryman’s return and any necessary public health monitoring but refused to implement “round-the-clock surveillance measures.”

“The state does not believe unnecessarily intrusive restrictions are warranted when established public health practices can effectively protect both public health and personal freedom,” stated DOH Communications Director Brian Wright.

Representatives from the CDC did not respond immediately to requests for comment.