Coronavirus: Why Is Quarantine So Important?

The quarantine is an efficient measure to slow down the spread of the new coronavirus. Anyone who suspects a possible infection should voluntarily quarantine, even if there are no symptoms and they are comfortable.

The most important precautionary measure to control the spread of COVID-19 is currently quarantine. There are still no specific drugs to treat this new disease, nor are there any vaccinations. For these and other reasons, compulsory or voluntary isolation is the best way to prevent other people from being harmed.

The main reason why the new coronavirus is risky is that we still know very little about it. We cannot foresee its behavior and the form of infection has not yet been adequately researched. The quarantine is therefore essential to slow the spread.

What we now know, however, is that COVID-19 is highly contagious  and is therefore spreading very quickly, as we have seen in China, Korea and Italy. Mortality varies in different countries. In China it is between 2 and 4 percent, but reliable data is still lacking in this area as well.

The quarantine

We’ll first briefly look at what the word quarantine means exactly: It’s isolation as a mandatory or voluntary measure for people diagnosed or suspected of being coronavirus. In this case, it is important to immediately prevent any contact with other people in order not to endanger them.

After an infection with the COVID-19, the incubation period begins, which can last between two and six weeks. During this time there are often no symptoms, but the affected person still needs to be isolated. If the person concerned lives together with others, there should be a spatial separation during the risk of infection, which means that the person should be housed in a different location. 

If this is not possible, it must be isolated in at least one room. Any direct contact should be avoided. It should not be forgotten that the person concerned needs a separate toilet and no personal items may be shared: no dishes, towels, sheets or other utensils and objects.

The family members and the patient need special protective masks. In serious cases, the patient must be taken to the hospital by ambulance. It is important to call the doctor and follow the exact instructions. The patient should not be transported in a private car or public transport.

Coronavirus quarantine

Isolation is a measure that is carried out on people  who have not yet had the disease but have had contact with an infected person or suspect a possible infection for other reasons. It is also used when people come from crisis areas where the risk of infection is particularly high.

The person does not have to be symptomatic to begin isolation. The mere suspicion of contact is sufficient because the incubation time is relatively long. In addition, many people have an asymptomatic course.

It is very dangerous not to take the disease seriously enough. People who may have had contact with the coronavirus COVID-19 but do not take the appropriate preventive measures to protect themselves and others are at greatest risk. Even if they do not experience any health problems, they must consistently implement the appropriate prevention. You could eventually infect vulnerable people from the risk group and risk their lives.

Specific details about the insulation

The origin of the word goes back to the Latin expression  quadraginta  and means “forty”. However, this does not mean that the quarantine must always last forty days. In the case of the coronavirus, if contact with infected people is suspected and as long as no symptoms are present, isolation for two weeks is recommended  . 

In most cases this is the time when the first symptoms appear if there is an infection. There are also cases in which the first signs show within hours or after two weeks, but these are rather exceptional. A quarantine of two weeks makes it possible to reduce the risk of infecting others.

We must not forget that  the infection can occur when we are within a distance of one to two meters from an infected person. It is not necessary to have been to China or Italy. You can get infected through people who have been in these or other risk areas.

Official data show that over 140,000 people around the world are already infected. Over 3,000 people died from it. The risk of further spread is very high, even in areas where there are still few cases, such as Latin America. Therefore, the greatest caution and responsibility is required!