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Quarantine during COVID-19 pandemic

At this moment when the whole world is fighting a pandemic (a world-wide epidemic) we thought of sharing the following information for your knowledge.

What is Quarantine?

It is simply an isolation. The person who is suspected to be infected (having the virus entered to the body) is separated from the rest of the people. This is an attempt to prevent the others from getting the virus into them in case if the suspected person was really infected.

What is the purpose of doing quarantine for suspected individuals?

Because a person can be an infected person and spread the virus to others, before he himself gets the symptoms.

Infected with no symptoms means?

That depends on the incubation period. A person can be infected and remain for some time before showing any symptoms. In the case of Covid-19, this period is about 14 days. From day 1-14 you can have the virus inside you, can spread to others, yet you don't show any symptoms and you look and feel absolutely healthy.

Why are people quarantined for 14 days?

It is because of this incubation period of 14 days. If you suspect yourself as having got the virus ( may be because you were in close contact with a diseased person, because you were visiting a place where a diseased person had been to, because you lived in an area where the disease was spreading) you must quarantine yourself for 14 days and see if you show the symptoms.

How to be self-quarantined?

This means you have to stay at one place, probably your home, without any close contact with rest of the population including your family members. This is a very simple precaution that anyone can take, which will be very helpful to protect the whole community including your loved ones.

We hope now you will understand how important it is to quarantine yourself and to reveal yourself if you suspect that you’re exposed to the disease. If it starts spreading in the community, it goes like a chain from one person to next and it will be very difficult to stop.[T1] You never know whether the person sitting next to you is an infected person as long as he doesn’t show any symptoms. He can transfer the virus to you, and then you may spread it to a whole lot even without knowing. That is why it is very important that we all follow the precautionary methods the health authorities have instructed. Let's together help end the Covid-19.

----A message from NutSoc, Nutrition Society of Wayamba University of Sri Lanka---