What is Quarantine?
Quarantine is the separation and restriction of movement of people who have potentially been exposed to a contagious disease to ascertain if they become unwell, so reducing the risk of them infecting others.
This definition differs from isolation, which is the separation of people who have been diagnosed with a contagious disease from people who are not sick; however, the two terms are often used interchangeably, especially in communication with the public.
The two strategies differ in that isolation applies to persons who are known to have an illness, and quarantine applies to those who have been exposed to an illness but who may or may not become ill.During quarantine people are able to do most things they can do indoors within the constraints of the location they are at. If they are asked to stay in a place away from home they are provided with meals, sleeping accommodations, and other necessities. They would stay there until the risk of developing the disease or spreading the disease is over.
If people are asked to stay at home then they would usually be asked to take their own temperature and report daily to health authorities on how they are feeling. They are given instructions on what they can do and not do around family members and are informed of other disease precautions.
History and Uses of Quarantine
The word quarantine was first used in Venice, Italy in 1127 with regards to leprosy and was widely used in response to the Black Death, although it was not until 300 years later that the UK properly began to impose quarantine in response to plague.
The term originally referred to the 40 days of offshore wait during which incoming vessels could not discharge passengers or cargo in the distant past era when the plague and other great epidemics swept across Europe.
In fact, some nations still maintain extended periods of quarantine for cattle and household pets coming from another country to guard against such diseases as foot-and-mouth disease and rabies.
Plant life may also be held for assurance that fungus and other plant diseases are not being introduced.
Local quarantine regulations are also in effect to guard against the spread of communicable disease. Although antibiotics, vaccinations and other treatments have greatly reduced the use of quarantine in public health, persons with newly recognized or hard to treat communicable diseases may still be quarantined or isolated by health officials.
Recent experiences with emerging infectious diseases such as West Nile Virus, SARS, and monkeypox have illustrated the speed with which disease may spread throughout the world and the impact communicable diseases, when left unchecked, may have on the global economy.
Citywide quarantines were also imposed in areas of China and Canada during the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), whereas entire villages in many West African countries were quarantined during the 2014 Ebola outbreak.
Moon Bugs: Astronauts under Quarantine
The first astronauts to visit the Moon were quarantined upon their return at a specially built Lunar Receiving Laboratory. No one knew what to expect when humans first visited the Moon. People thought that astronauts might return to Earth with new diseases as a lunar plague or potential microorganisms. So when the astronauts from Apollo 11, 12 and 14 came home they went into isolation for three weeks.
This gave doctors and scientists time to check them for signs of infection. It soon became clear that there weren’t any microbes living on the Moon, so there was no need to quarantine astronauts when they arrived home. However, today they still go through a period of quarantine before they travel. This helps to make sure they are free from infection so that they don’t become sick during their mission.
How Quarantine Helps Prevent Outbreaks
Whether it is naturally occurring or intentionally caused preventing an outbreak requires the use of the most rapid and effective public health tools available. These tools include basic public health practices such as disease reporting, referred to above, and identification and notification of contacts who may have been exposed to a communicable disease so that they may receive preventive measures.
Quarantine of exposed persons may be the best initial way to prevent the uncontrolled spread of highly dangerous biologic agents such as smallpox, plague, and Ebola fever--especially when combined with other health strategies such as vaccination, prophylactic drug treatment, patient isolation, and other appropriate infection control measures.
Quarantine may be particularly important if a biologic agent has been rendered contagious, drug-resistant, or vaccine resistant through bio-engineering, making other disease control measures less effective.
Some quarantine periods can be very short, such as in the case of a suspected anthrax attack, in which persons are allowed to leave as soon as they shed their potentially contaminated garments and undergo a decontamination shower.
The purpose of such quarantine-for-decontamination is to prevent the spread of contamination, and to contain the contamination such that others are not put at risk from a person fleeing a scene where contamination is suspect.
COVID-19
Most recently, quarantine has been used in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. This outbreak has seen entire cities in China effectively placed under mass quarantine, while many thousands of foreign nationals returning home from China have been asked to self-isolate at home or in state-run facilities.
Nearly half of China's population- more than 780 million people -are currently living under various forms of travel restrictions as authorities race to contain the spread of a deadly virus. Restrictions include everything from self-quarantines to limits on who can come and go from neighborhoods. Anyone suspected or confirmed to be infected with the virus, their close contacts, or anyone with a fever, should be "timely treated or placed in quarantine instead of self-isolation at home.
How to Prepare at Home for Potential Quarantine
With more than 83,000 cases of COVID-19 worldwide and the World Health Organization raising its global risk assessment for contracting the illness to “very high,” health officials are advising people to prepare themselves for a potential pandemic.
Under the current global standards, people with suspected cases of COVID-19 are quarantined for 14 days. During this period, they’re not supposed to go out in public and interact with others for fear they will spread the respiratory virus. They should have enough supplies in their home so they don’t have to leave at any time during a potential two-week quarantine period.
It’s important to think about what kind of needed food and would last for 14 days. There are a few personal hygiene items that may be worth stocking up on before potentially being placed under quarantine as tissues, antibacterial soap, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, feminine care products, laundry detergent and dish soap.
Psychological Impact
Quarantine usually raises questions of civil rights, especially in cases of long confinement or segregation from society. Quarantine can have negative psychological effects on those that are quarantined. These include post-traumatic stress, confusion and anger.
Stressors included longer quarantine duration, infection fears, frustration, boredom, inadequate supplies, inadequate information, financial loss, and stigma.
Officials should quarantine inpiduals for no longer than required, provide clear rationale for quarantine and information about protocols, and ensure sufficient supplies are provided. Appeals to altruism by reminding the public about the benefits of quarantine to wider society can be favorable.
Tips for Protection against COVID-19
Regularly washing your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based rub. Everyone should consistently clean frequently touched surfaces and objects at home, at school, at work, and at large gatherings.
Make sure information you’re receiving about the infection comes from reliable sources. Avoid travelling if you have a fever or cough. Make sure to sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue. Take extra precautions if you’re 60 years old or older, such as avoiding crowded areas.
If you feel unwell, stay home and call your local doctor. If you are sick, stay home, sleep away from your family, and different utensils than your family members. If you experience shortness of breath, immediately call your doctor and seek treatment. Discuss how to stay safe with your work, school or community grouping.
More pandemic specific measures might include “voluntary home quarantine” for people who have come into contact with someone with COVID-19.
For schools, options include piding students into smaller groups or, in a severe pandemic, closing schools and using internet-based teleschooling to continue education. For adults, businesses can replace in-person meetings with video or telephone conferences and increase teleworking options. For healthcare settings, this might include looking at how to increase telehealth services.
Follow the latest news on Google News
