What is the difference between quarantine and isolation?
Well, there are three terms that you need to know during the coronavirus pandemic, namely social distancing, self isolation and quarantine. All these terms refer to the limitation of personal and social contact with other individuals but in different ways. While some need to stay at home to find out if they are infected with the new virus COVID-19 because they traveled in various infected countries or they spent time with other persons who were found sick, others choose to do so just to be safe and avoid a potential disease.
During the process of isolation or self isolation, people choose to stay away from sick people for reasons of prevention. Isolation can happen under medical supervision and self isolation – as the name suggests – are the people’s choice.
Quarantine refers to restricting the interaction and contact with other individuals for people who have been exposed to the virus and it is important to find out if they are infected as well. Self quarantine is not different from quarantine, and this involves staying at home and not interacting with other people until you find out the test results and the incubation period passes.
“You could just live in a bubble and all viruses, including the coronavirus, will still be around when you come up for air. Be smart, be safe, and be careful,” said infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the John’s Hopkins Center for Health Security.
