DESCRIPTION:
COVID-19, more commonly referred to as the Coronavirus, is causing quarantines all over the world.
TRANSCRIPT:
Hey there! Welcome to Life Noggin! Due to the increasing news surrounding the coronavirus,
the subject of quarantines has been popping up a lot lately.
And I’m sure you’re wondering: what exactly happens when you are quarantined?
Generally, quarantines are used as a preventative measure where otherwise healthy people
who may have come into contact with an infectious disease are kept separate from the rest
of the population until it's known for sure that they don’t have it.
This is typically for the length of the disease's incubation period - from when someone
becomes infected to when symptoms would begin to show - which can take a few days to weeks.
This is in contrast to isolation, where people who have the disease and are contagious are kept separate from healthy people.
I’m sure you’ve seen imitations of these rooms on your favorite TV medical drama.
They include their own air circulation and medical staff may have to wear respirators, gowns,
and goggles.
Quarantine and isolation are both tactics used in an attempt to stop a disease from spreading
and prevent outbreaks, though some researchers have questioned the effectiveness
of quarantines and the ethics of keeping healthy people detained.
They fear that mandatory quarantines may do more harm than good - doctors may choose not
to help infected communities, and people may lie about their contact with those who are sick.
Some people have even fled from their homes to avoid being quarantined.
Around the world,each country may have their own laws regarding the use of quarantines,
but those countries
who are members of the World Health Organization must abide by their regulations:
they must notify the World Health Organization when certain infectious diseases are diagnosed,
and stay within the limits of their allowed counter-measures.
In the United States,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is responsible for the government’s
quarantine practices to prevent infectious diseases from coming into the country.
They have quarantine stations in major cities along the borders in airports, seaports,
and border crossings, that are staffed with medical and public health officers who determine
if someone needs to be quarantined or isolated. If they are quarantined,
they may either get sent to a government facility, like a military base, or their own home.
At government facilities, they are given food and accommodations and are allowed to
contact their friends and family while medical professionals monitor their health a couple of
times a day.
At current quarantine sites in the US, they offer exercise classes, activities for kids,
and mental health services, though some people say it still feels like being in prison.
In rare cases, an entire geographical area can be quarantined, where people are not
allowed to enter or leave it.
This is called a "cordon sanitaire" and currently, there is a massive one happening in China
involving over 50 million people across multiple cities.
The streets there are eerily deserted as people are going to extreme lengths to
avoid contracting the virus. They are even opting to get medical attention outside or
in their cars to avoid hospitals. So, what do you think?
Should mandatory quarantines be allowed?
What would you do if you were stuck in your house for weeks?
You have to keep busy somehow! Let me know in the comment section below!
Curious to know how to stay safe during the plague? Check out this video!
You need to keep your home free from rodents who may be carrying or infected by fleas by
clearing away any piles of brush or rocks that they could use as a home. As always,
my name is Blocko,
this has been life noggin, don’t forget to keep on thinking!
QUESTIONS:
1. Define quarantine.
2. What do you think? Should mandatory quarantines be allowed?
3. What would you do if you were stuck in your house for weeks?
