With news of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) changing almost daily; it is a good idea to know the ins and outs when it comes to quarantining for Covid-19. We will cover all the need-to-know items about quarantine , as well as showing you the difference between quarantine and isolation . We will also explain the CDC’s regulations about the quarantine process, who should be quarantining and how not quarantining correctly can severely affect your business.
What is Quarantine?
Quarantine sounds like something out of a scary movie, but in reality, it is just keeping someone who may have been exposed to Covid-19 away from other people. This helps in stopping the spread that can occur before a person knows that they are infected with the virus. A person may have contracted the virus days before showing symptoms. It is crucial to know the difference between the terms Quarantine and Isolation, because while they do coincide with one another, they are not the same thing. Quarantine is keeping someone who may have been exposed to the virus away from others. Whereas Isolation is when we keep someone who is already infected with the virus away from others. We should still isolate when we have Covid-19, and whether or not we have symptoms. Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2-14 days after being exposed to the virus.
Who needs to Quarantine?
The need for quarantine still remains a great tool in helping in the stop/slowing the spread of the Coronavirus. Quarantine must remain near the top of our priority list as we move in to the holiday season. A person needs to quarantine if/when they have been in close contact with someone who has or may have Covid-19. This rule of thumb does change for some one who has already had Covid-19 within the last few months, but is no longer showing symptoms. A person can test positive for the virus for up to 3 months after their first initial test of Covid-19.
Close Contact is defined as being within 6 feet of someone who has Covid-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more. This also includes coming in direct contact with someone with Covid whether that be hugging or kissing and possibly even sharing food or drink. If you believe that you have contracted the virus, it is important to get tested immediately, so that you can let the people you have been in contact with of possible exposure. Not quarantining can lead to the spread of the virus between friends and loved ones. Not quarantining when you may have the virus can also have dire consequences on a business’s operations. They say that you see the people you work with more than your family at times, and if the virus starts to spread in the workplace, the workforce may struggle to function/operate due to close contact with one another. This could lead to a business having to close due to their lack of staff or even having to pay employees for sick leave while the business remains closed and waits for their employees to recover. We must continue to stay vigilant in our efforts to fight the virus and quarantine whenever we believe we may have contracted the virus.
How long should I quarantine for?
Anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has covid-19, should quarantine at home for 14 days. During this time, it is important to monitor your health and to be on the lookout for:
| Elevated Fever (100® F) | Cough | Shortness of Breath | Fatigue |
| Muscles Aches | Headaches | New loss of taste | New loss of smell |
If it is possible to quarantine away from others it is always best to do so, but this is often hard to do within the same household. Getting tested early on in your quarantine period can help possibly reduce your quarantine time. A doctor will give you the final say on when you will be able to end your quarantine. There are 2 options that they may consider in shortening or stopping quarantine.
- They will consider ending the need to quarantine on Day 10 without a test.
- On day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later)
While it is rare for someone to be reinfected with the virus, it can still occur, and we should still be on the lookout for symptoms after ending quarantine.
As long as a person has been without symptoms after 10 continuous days since they have tested positive for Covid-19, communication with our employees and the ones we are around constantly will help stop this virus in its tracks. This continues to be a tough time in our lives and in our businesses. The more information we have on Covid-19, the more we are able to be proactive and get through this pandemic stronger than ever.
Stay healthy and safe.
Happy Holidays.
