What is Quarantine and Isolation? Let's know the exact difference between the two!

Do you remember during the COVID-19 pandemic, we heard the words 'Quarantine' and 'Isolation' everywhere. Some people were quarantined, others were isolated. Many people thought that these two were the same. But in fact, these are two measures. Although the aim of both is to stop the spread of a contagious disease in society, these two methods are used for two types of people. So today, let's talk about this exactly, very simply. After reading this article, you will have a clear understanding about this.

First, let's see what quarantine is.

Simply put, quarantine is the separation of a healthy person from others who has been exposed to a person with a contagious disease, but is not yet showing symptoms.

Imagine this. You find out that a friend you work with at your office has measles. You worked with him all day yesterday, talked with him, and drank tea together. Now you haven't gotten sick yet. You are healthy. But, is there a chance that you could also get the disease from that friend? But we don't know that yet.

During this time, you will usually be advised to stay at home. In some cases, you may be referred to a government-run quarantine facility. If you are staying at home, health authorities (for example, your local Public Health Inspector - PHI) will provide you with the necessary advice.

• Check and record your temperature daily.
• Pay close attention to symptoms such as cough, cold , and body aches .
• Stay in a separate room, avoiding contact with other people in the house as much as possible.
• Health officials may check on your health daily.

If you do not develop symptoms by the end of this quarantine period, it means you have not contracted the disease. After that, you can continue with your work as usual.

So, what is isolation?

Isolation is the complete separation of a person who is already sick and has been confirmed by doctors to have a contagious disease from healthy people.

Let's go back to the previous example. Imagine that after hanging out with your office friend, you were quarantined. After two or three days, you also developed a fever and started to feel sick. When you went to see a doctor, he tested you and said that you also had measles.

This is usually done in a special ward in a hospital. Alternatively, you may be advised to stay in a separate room at home, using a separate bathroom. During this time:

• People such as doctors and nurses who treat the patient wear special protective clothing ( masks , gloves).
• Items such as dishes, cups, and clothing used by the patient are not mixed with those of others. They are cleaned separately.
• Restricting other people from entering the patient's room.

This period of isolation ends only after a doctor confirms that you have fully recovered and are no longer at risk of infecting anyone else.

Let's understand the difference between these two at a glance.

To make it clearer for you, let's look at the main differences between the two in a table.

Do you really need to do these things?

Yes. Both of these measures are very important steps to protect public health . People usually cooperate voluntarily because no one wants to infect someone else with a disease.

However, in the event of a severe, rapidly spreading disease such as the COVID-19 pandemic, public health authorities have the power to enforce the law for the safety of society. Under the Quarantine and Disease Prevention Ordinance in Sri Lanka, following these instructions can be made legally mandatory. Therefore, it is our responsibility to follow the instructions received from the health authorities in the same manner.

These measures can help prevent an infectious disease from becoming a major pandemic. By doing so, we protect our families, friends, and the entire country.