The man seen not wearing a hazmat suit while standing just feet away from the second nurse with Ebola as she was transported to Emory University hospital did not need to wear the protective gear, the medical airline said.
The nurse, identified Wednesday as Amber Vinson, was flown from Dallas to Atlanta on medical airline Phoenix Air.
She was seen being transported to and from the ambulance by three people in full-body hazmat suits, but the fourth person by her stretcher was wearing plainclothes and holding a clipboard.
The airline confirmed to ABC News that the man was their medical protocol supervisor who was purposefully not wearing protective gear.
"Our medical professionals in the biohazard suits have limited vision and mobility and it is the protocol supervisor’s job to watch each person carefully and give them verbal directions to ensure no close contact protocols are violated," a spokesperson from Phoenix Air told ABC News.
"There is absolutely no problem with this and in fact ensures an even higher level of safety.
Number of Ebola Wire Stories (By Region Tagged) pic.twitter.com/044GZAfqXw
— Michael McDonough (@M_McDonough) October 16, 2014
Speaking on Glenn Beck’s radio program, Gohmert — who represents Texas, where one Ebola patient has died and two nurses have been infected — said he was “okay, but do any of us really know for sure.”
“If the CDC says you’re not okay then you’re okay in my book,” Beck quipped.
“You know, it’s a shame that the CDC head, Frieden, is apparently the commander of the Democrats’ new war on women nurses,” Gohmert opined. “Because, goodnight, they set them up, and then they throw them under the bus.”
“The idiot comes out and says that clearly she had violated protocol,” the Texas congressman continued. “At least in football, they have to tell you what you violated.”
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| Female passenger dressed in a hazmat suit — complete with a full body gown, mask and gloves — was spotted Wednesday waiting for a flight at the airport. |