President Barack Obama took more thinly-veiled shots at governors like New Jersey 's Chris Christie on Wednesday , saying the mandatory quarantine policies some states have imposed amount to `` hiding under the covers '' from Ebola . After visiting a group of health care workers who 'd recently returned from the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa -- some still within the virus 's 21-day incubation period , but showing no symptoms -- Obama said policies like states requiring three-week quarantines of doctors and nurses who treated Ebola patients could harm U.S. efforts to stop its spread . He did n't mention Christie , New York Gov . Andrew Cuomo or others by name , but said he 's `` putting those on notice who think that we should hide from these problems . '' `` When I hear people talking about American leadership and then promoting policies that would avoid leadership and have us running the opposite direction and hiding under the covers , it makes me a little frustrated , '' Obama said . Maine nurse wo n't submit to Ebola quarantine , lawyer says . His remarks Wednesday echoed similar ones Tuesday . They come days after Christie and Cuomo , faced with the first potential Ebola cases in their states , said they were imposing mandatory quarantines for health workers who 'd treated infected patients upon their return to the United States . California Gov . Jerry Brown 's top health official announced a similar rule there on Wednesday , though the state has n't yet had an Ebola case . Ebola survivor : Chris Christie is 'playing politics ' The Army has also announced quarantines for soldiers returning from West Africa , with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expected to soon announce whether that policy will apply to the full mulitary . Obama 's event Wednesday featured Kent Brantly , an American doctor who was infected with Ebola while working in West Africa and is now free of the virus . Introducing Obama , Brantly said more health care workers are badly needed there . Chris Christie on possible Ebola lawsuit : 'Whatever ' Obama said doctors and nurses volunteering to work in the region demonstrates `` American exceptionalism . '' `` When they come home , they deserve to be treated properly , '' he said . `` They deserve to be treated like the heroes that they are . ''
President Barack Obama blasted governors who are mandating Ebola-related quarantines . He said those policies amount to `` hiding under the covers '' rather than leading . Obama said he 's putting `` on notice '' those governors , without citing them by name .