(AP) -- The Obama administration said Sunday it has conveyed its concerns to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo about those states' mandatory Ebola quarantines.

A senior Obama administration official said the policy is not grounded in science, but stopped short of formally asking the governors to change course. The official wasn't authorized to comment by name and insisted on anonymity.

New York and New Jersey moved to require 21-day quarantines for medical workers who have had treated Ebola victims in West Africa.

President Barack Obama met Sunday with his Ebola response team, including "Ebola czar" Ron Klain and other public health and national security officials. According to a press statement released by the White House, Obama said any measures concerning returning health care workers "should be crafted so as not to unnecessarily discourage those workers from serving."

Obama directed the team to establish guidelines for returning medical workers based on that principle and the best medical science, the White House press office said.