SELF QUARANTINE - THINGS TO DO & HOW TO PREPARE YOURSELF

World leaders, medical practitioners, and authorities all around us are strongly advocating social distancing & self-quarantine, and for a good reason. Given the global crisis of Coronavirus and the rapidly growing number of cases in India, it is crucial to understand what exactly these practices entail and how you should prepare yourself for them.

Social Distancing vs Self-Quarantine vs Isolation

Social Distancing

[caption align="aligncenter" width="527"] Prevention of Coronavirus Covid-19 Source: Calmatters[/caption] Social Distancing means maintaining physical distance from people during your day-to-day activities and interactions. Avoiding large public gatherings & events, and shutting down of malls, movie theatres & educational institutions, are all ways of encouraging social distancing.Follow Social Distancing and maintain proper distance to  others. But if you have seen any Symptoms pointing to Coronavirus find the best doctor for your coronavirus symptoms and get tested with Credihealth. Now!

Self-Quarantine

Self-quarantine means separating yourself from people around you for a few days. An asymptomatic, symptomatic, or a simply unwell person must practice self-quarantine to avoid and restrict exposure to Coronavirus.If you begin to develop symptoms during your quarantine period, you must consult a doctor, and get yourself tested for COVID-19 at a testing centre in your city.A criteria has been established by the authorities, that a person who has travelled abroad to a high-risk country or who has come in close physical contact with someone who has travelled to a high-risk country, must practice self-quarantine for 14 days. These individuals must get themselves tested for COVID-19 in case they start to showcase symptoms within a span of these 14 days.

Isolation

Isolation needs to be enforced when someone tests positive for COVID-19. Such individuals are kept away from those who are not infected, limiting the spread of this highly contagious virus. This can be done within your home, at a hospital, or any other healthcare facility near you, provided these places are well equipped to treat & manage the infection.India is at Stage 2 of the Coronavirus outbreak right now, and the only way we can all come together to manage this situation is by diligently practicing self-quarantine. This is why it is imperative that we have an absolute understanding of things to do in self-quarantine to beat this pandemic.

When to Self-Quarantine and for How Long?

An individual must self-quarantine in either of the below mentioned scenarios -

1. They have come in close physical contact with a contact of a confirmed or suspected positive case of COVID-19, or
2. They have a compromised or unstable immune system, or
3. They are unwell, or
4. They are above 60 years of age.

Such individuals must stay within the confines of their homes for at least 14 days, especially in the case of physical proximity with a contact of a confirmed or suspected positive case of Coronavirus. When is a person considered to be a contact of a confirmed or suspected positive case of Coronavirus?

• The person shares a household with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, or
• The person has been within 1 meter of a person infected with COVID-19.
• The person has spent time in a an enclosed space with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, or
• The person has come in close physical contact with someone who has tested positive for Coronavirus without any precautionary measures

Self Quarantine Things to Do

• Stay in a well-ventilated room, preferably with an attached bathroom to avoid all possibilities of exposure for those who are not infected
• Maintain a distance of at least 1 meter with those around you at all times
• Keep safe distance from children, elderly people, and pregnant women
• Wear a mask, especially when outside the room you are quarantined in
• Manage your work and all professional responsibilities from home and preferably from within the room you have quarantined yourself in
• Restrict unnecessary movement around the house, especially within the shared spaces

Self-Quarantine - Things You Need to Stock Up

• Necessary medicines and a first-aid kit
• Surgical masks & gloves
• Staple foods like grains, rice, flour, salt, sugar, oils, fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee, etc. it is important to maintain a balanced and healthy diet to keep your immunity system running smoothly.
• All hygiene related products like hand soap, bath products, hand sanitizer, sanitary products, detergents, etc
• Cleaning essentials & disinfectants to regularly sanitize the space around you

Self-Quarantine - Tips For Caregivers

• Wear surgical masks and gloves when around the individual in quarantine
• Dispose off used masks & gloves immediately and safely after every use
• Regularly clean and disinfect the surrounding areas, clothes, and sheets of the quarantined person
• Wash the utensils, clothes, towels, sheets, etc of the quarantined person separately and with a disinfectant. Also, always wear gloves when handling them
• Do not allow any visitors around the individual who is quarantined

It is important to understand that self-quarantine is not some kind of a banishment. It is a necessary step that needs to be self-enforced to ensure our safety and the safety of those around us.Also, read about: CORONAVIRUS DECLARED A PANDEMIC - COVID-19 & GOVERNMENT MEASURES GO GLOBAL For more advice & information on COVID-19, talk to a Credihealth Medical Expert. Get assistance in choosing the right specialist doctor and clinic, compare treatment cost from various centers and timely medical updates