Many people confuse the concepts of isolation and quarantine, especially with their frequent use in the recent period with the spread of the new Corona virus in many countries and countries resorting to isolating some citizens and placing others in quarantine. In this article, we examine a number of differences between the two concepts that are close in meaning and differ in their essence.
Quarantine
Restricting the activities, or separating people who are suspected of being exposed to the source of infection and have no symptoms or positive result, in a way that leads to preventing the spread of infection, and the quarantine is in (a designated facility or at home) with the availability of certain conditions.
Medical isolation
Separating the infected person (from a positive result) or from having symptoms (suspected of being infected) with an infectious disease in a way that prevents the spread of infection.
Quarantine and the mechanism for dealing with people coming from outside the Kingdom
Quarantine is considered
A precautionary measure for people coming from outside the Kingdom, and they do not have symptoms. As well as suspected cases that do not require health care in hospitals, according to the mechanism adopted below.
Quarantine at home: If the house is suitable for home isolation, according to public health discretion.
Quarantine in a designated facility: If the home is not suitable according to the public health assessment or the exceptions below.
The quarantine steps are summarized in the following points
All those coming to the Kingdom are registered on the application of Tatman, which is related to the follow-up of quarantined quarantines. Tawakolna application to enable the health authority to follow up and monitor people while they are in home quarantine.
They are provided with the required education, leaflets and instructions to follow during their stay at home
Evaluating people returning from outside the Kingdom by health practitioners in the outlets and applying visual screening procedures (assessing the presence of their symptoms) as follows:
a. No symptoms
Returnees from outside the Kingdom who are not health practitioners and have no symptoms
They are home quarantined for a period of 7 days (except for when the house is not suitable, according to the exceptions below), and no medical swabs are taken for them.
A pledge is taken for them that they have no symptoms, and if he shows symptoms within (24) hours, he calls 937.
Returning health practitioners from outside the Kingdom and have no symptoms
They are home quarantined for a period of 3 days (except for when the house is not suitable, according to the exceptions below), provided that a PCR examination is performed for them at the end of the period
A pledge is taken for them that they have no symptoms, and if symptoms appear within (24) hours, he calls 937.
Who has symptoms
Their health condition is evaluated and a sample is taken for them during the first 24 hours of arrival, either at the outlets or at the nearest health center (as determined by the public health in the region):
Stable condition they are sent to quarantine at home (except in the event that the house is not suitable) until the results appear.
The unstable condition is sent to the health facility for evaluation.
People who are in stable condition are provided with a smart bracelet to enable the health authority to follow up and monitor the person while they are in home quarantine.
A pledge is taken on them to abide by the home quarantine instructions until the result appears or the quarantine period expires (according to the decision of public health in the region).
In the event that the test result is positive and the health condition of the condition is stable and does not require admission, the application of medical isolation will be completed at home.
C. The following cases are excluded from home quarantine
Failure to adhere to home quarantine according to reports you are satisfied and / or the competent authorities.
The lack of a network connection to the Internet at home.
The lack of a smart phone.
The house is not ready for home quarantine, according to the public health report in the region.
Dr. The quarantine of those coming from abroad will end after 7 days for non-health practitioners who do not have any symptoms.
Y. After 3 days for health practitioners who did not show symptoms and the result of the (PCR) examination is negative at the end of the period, confirmed cases are dealt with according to the guidelines for confirmed cases.
Home medical isolation
Definition of home isolation
Separating the infected person or suspected of having an infectious disease at home in a way that prevents the spread of the disease, and in the current situation of Corona disease (Covid-19), home isolation is imposed in certain cases and all cases are recorded and followed up through the application (Tatman), the application of Tawakalna and the smart bracelet.
Cases that require home isolation
Home isolation for people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection is appropriate in the following cases:
Positive or suspected cases that have mild symptoms do not require hospitalization, according to the general health assessment in the area.
Positive cases that have mild symptoms and are similar to recovery (to complete the medical isolation period at home), whether the result of re-sample is positive or negative
The contacts of confirmed cases who do not have symptoms or have mild symptoms and are awaiting the results of samples according to the public health assessment in the region.
Standards for home isolation for positive cases
It must be ensured that all cases are in good condition so that they can receive care at home and do not need to be admitted to the hospital for medical reasons.
Provide everyone with the necessary instructions, leaflets and instructions while remaining in home isolation.
Download the application Tatman and register in it, as well as the application Tawakalna.
Signing an undertaking to commit to home isolation, and in the event of additional symptoms, contact 937. or go to the emergency room at the nearest health facility, as well as a pledge to adhere to daily follow-up in the application of Tatman, and to be aware of the violations and the resulting procedures.
People with symptoms are provided with smart bracelets and made sure they are wearing, synchronized and signed their pledge.
The following cases are excluded from home isolation
Failure to comply with home isolation according to reports that you are satisfied and / or the competent authorities.
The lack of a network connection to the Internet at home.
No phone.
The house is not ready for quarantine, according to the public health report in the region.
Not having someone to take care of him when needed
When there are chronic diseases, the possibility of complications increases
When symptoms develop or if the condition becomes unstable, he is referred to the hospital.
Home medical isolation
Definition of home isolation
Separating the person infected or suspected of having an infectious disease at home in a way that prevents the spread of the disease, and in the current situation of Corona disease (Covid-19), home isolation is imposed in certain cases and all cases are recorded and followed up through the application (Tatman), the application of Tawakalna and the smart bracelet.
Cases that require home isolation
Home isolation for people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection is appropriate in the following cases:
Positive or suspected cases that have mild symptoms do not require hospitalization, according to the general health assessment in the area.
Positive cases that have mild symptoms and are similar to recovery (to complete the medical isolation period at home), whether the result of re-sample is positive or negative.
The contacts of confirmed cases who do not have symptoms or have mild symptoms and are awaiting the results of samples according to the public health assessment in the region.
Standards for home isolation for positive cases
It must be ensured that all cases are in good condition so that they can receive care at home and do not need to be admitted to the hospital for medical reasons.
Provide everyone with the necessary instructions, leaflets and instructions while remaining in home isolation.
Download the application Tatman and register in it, as well as the application Tawakalna.
Signing an undertaking to abide by home isolation, and in the event of additional symptoms, contact 937. or go to the emergency room at the nearest health facility, as well as a pledge to adhere to daily follow-up in the application of Tatman, and to be aware of the violations and the resulting procedures.
People with symptoms are provided with smart bracelets and made sure they are wearing, synchronized and signed their pledge.
The following cases are excluded from home isolation
Failure to comply with home isolation according to reports that you are satisfied and / or the competent authorities.
The lack of a network connection to the Internet at home.
No phone.
The house is not ready for quarantine, according to the public health report in the region.
Not having someone to take care of him when needed.
When there are chronic diseases, the possibility of complications increases.
When symptoms develop or the condition becomes unstable, he is referred to the hospital.
Termination of medical isolation
The confirmed case is asymptomatic
The sample is returned after 72 hours, and the medical isolation period ends if the sample result is negative (two samples), including 24 hours.
or
If this is not possible, the patient who did not show symptoms and spent 10 days or more after the last positive sample is considered a state of recovery without the need to take a laboratory sample and the period of his observation ends.
The confirmed case has symptoms
The patient who had mild symptoms and spent 3 days or more after the disappearance of the symptoms (no fever without the use of a fever reducer and no respiratory symptoms) in addition to a negative laboratory examination (two samples), including 24 hours
or
If this is not possible: the patient who showed mild symptoms and spent 3 days or more after the disappearance of symptoms (lack of temperature without the use of a fever reducer and no respiratory symptoms) then he is considered a state of recovery without the need to take a laboratory sample (provided that he has spent at least Ten days after the first appearance of symptoms), and the period of observation ends.
The decision to end isolation for positive cases in hospitals due to severe symptoms is according to the protocol of health practitioners.
Health practitioners are excluded from the aforementioned and procedures related to them apply to them.
Requirements for home isolation
Requirements for the place designated for home isolation
Before isolating the patient at home, the home is evaluated by the public health team in the district, governorate, or health cluster, whether the home is suitable for home isolation or not
(This evaluation can be done by phone or direct evaluation) depending on the decision of public health:
Having a separate, well-ventilated bedroom if possible and has a private toilet. If there is more than one toilet in the house, one individual allocation for the patient.
Having someone to supervise and help them at home if they need to.
That the person or one who supervises his service can obtain personal protection equipment (at least gloves and a muzzle).
Reducing the number of people who are allowed to serve at home to the smallest number possible, and it must be ensured that they know the ways in which the disease is transmitted, how to wash hands and wear the correct mas
