By Crystal Malchose, PIO Pottawatomie County
This is an informational feature supported by the Pottawatomie County Commission to assist in providing educational information regarding the COVID-19 virus to citizens.
“Isolation” and “quarantine” are terms we hear frequently these days in terms of expectations after exposure, or assumed exposure to COVID-19. What exactly do these terms mean? Are they interchangeable? The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website, www.hhs.gov, says, “Isolation and quarantine are public health practices used to protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.” Many people confuse the two terms, but they are used for different purposes.
*Isolation – this term is intended for people known to have a contagious disease, such as COVID-19, and indicates they should be separated from people who are not sick.
*Quarantine – this term identifies people who have been exposed to a contagious disease, and restricts their movements to watch for symptoms. This includes people who may have been exposed, as well as those who have the disease, but are asymptomatic.
*Social distancing – a better term may be “physical distancing,” as people are social creatures and should, when possible, still interact with others in a safe manner. This term indicates a minimum physical separation of six feet (6’) between people who do not reside together, to lessen the possibility of an infection spreading. Studies that evaluated transmission of infectious respiratory diseases between patients and healthcare workers are the basis of the 6-foot distance recommendation