The term self-quarantine is one of those most used words these days, as the world is fighting against corona virus in all ways possible.
What is a quarantine?
Quarantine is the separation of a person (or group of people) who is believed to have been exposed to a communicable disease, but who is not currently showing symptoms.
What is self-quarantine?
If you have been exposed to COVID-19, you may decide to self-quarantine, or voluntarily refrain from going out of your home. The CDC and other health officials recommend that if you self-quarantine, you do so for 14 days. If you have contracted COVID-19, you would show symptoms or will have had the opportunity for testing for the virus to know for sure if you are contagious.
What should we do when we decided for self-quarantine?
- Stay at home.
- Wash your hands with soap and water frequently.
- Do not share anything – utensils, towels, food from the same bowl.
- Do not have visitors.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others in the home.
- Call the doctor first. If you do need to go to the doctor, call first so the doctor knows you are coming and take precautions to keep others from being infected.
- Don’t snuggle with your pet. There is no evidence that pets can spread COVID-19 or be infected from humans, but it is probably best to avoid “petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked and sharing food [during a coronavirus quarantine].
- Have your own utensils, drinking glass, dishes, towels and bedding.
- Wash your hands, sanitize surfaces and cough or sneeze into your elbows or a tissue that you immediately discard.
How do you know if you should self-quarantine?
- For travellers arriving from certain countries to self-quarantine for 14 days.
- If someone at your work or school was definitely exposed, you may want to consider self-quarantine.
- If you have a fever and a dry cough
- If you are unsure if you should self-quarantine, Call your doctor and tell them why you think you may have been exposed to the virus and what you should do.
What is Isolation?
- Isolation means that a person who has contracted a communicable disease is completely separated from others. “Isolation for public health purposes may be voluntary or compelled by federal, state, or local public health order.” The person in isolation is kept away from everyone but health care providers, who will care for the person while wearing protective gear.