Once the COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the word ‘quarantine’ became a buzz word to the masses. The word quarantine refers to a period, a state, or a place of isolation in which people, who have been exposed to an infectious or contagious disease or have arrived from elsewhere, are kept. Health authorities and governments resorted to quarantine to stop the spread of COVID-19 virus among the people. In case of the novel coronavirus, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises 14 days of quarantine period.

A person has to be in quarantine for any of the following reasons:
a) for testing positive for the COVID-19
b) for coming in contact with a person who had tested positive for COVID-19; or
c) had travelled to a country that had reported a large number of COVID-19 cases.

Individuals can be quarantined either at home or in a hospital. Many are of the opinion that home quarantine is much more effective than institutional quarantine as there is a psychological aspect to this. This to some extent is true as home quarantine enables a person to stay within the comforts of his/her home. It allows a covid-19 patient to stay close to his/her family members but maintaining a distance. This gives mental satisfaction and strength to the patients, which help in their speedy recovery. Another benefit of the home quarantine is that there is less exposure to the disease than in a government hospital. Moreover it is very difficult to get a bed in hospitals.

Home quarantine is considered a good option for people who have mild symptoms of COVID-19 or people who only came in contact with a person who had tested positive for novel coronavirus.

According to the WHO, the decision as to whether to quarantine a person at home depends on three factors - evaluation of the home setting; proper clinical assessment of the covid-19 patient and the ability to properly monitor the health progress of the patients.

Home quarantine is most suitable for covid-19 patients who have a home environment where their basic clinical needs can be met and where protection of uninfected family members is assured. Continuous monitoring of the clinical evolution of the patient should be in place in case of home isolation. Covid-19 patients who are home quarantined can seek medical advice through tele- consultations or through dedicated Covid-19 government helpline numbers.

Patients who have small living spaces or who do not have a suitable home environment for quarantine should be quarantined in specific quarantine hospitals /centres that are designated for this purpose. People who display severe symptoms of COVID-19 or have any underlying health- related conditions should preferably opt for institutional quarantine.

In the covid-19 dedicated hospitals and other designated quarantine centres there are doctors and nurses who are working relentlessly to provide health support to the Covid-19 patients. They are available to the patients round the clock and in case of any health emergency they can immediately attend to their needs. Further, a severely affected Covid-19 patient whose oxygen level is depleting rapidly can be immediately administered additional oxygen supply in the quarantine centres which have the facilities to do so. This can save a lot of lives. In this way the patients and their families could be mentally satisfied that expert care is being provided to their family member.

However, unlike the home quarantine, persons quarantined in a designated quarantine centre will be far away from their families and from the warmth and comfort of their homes. This may have a psychological effect on their mind which can disrupt their speedy recovery.

The debate regarding which is the better place for quarantine can go on. What we have to remember is that the ultimate goal of quarantine is to isolate and restrict the movement of persons who have been infected with Covid-19 or who have been exposed to the infection, to prevent the transmission of the virus.
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