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If you traveled during the Thanksgiving vacation, it’s time to go into quarantine.
Specifically, if you’ve left the state, California has issued a travel advisory recommending that you quarantine for 14 days. If you’ve been exposed to someone outside of your household or existing pandemic pod for a prolonged period of time, it’s also a good idea to quarantine yourself.
Dr Robert Kim-Farley, a professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and former director of the communicable disease control and prevention division at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said people should consider quarantine as the middle position between isolation (what you do when you know you are infected) and ‘normal’ pandemic life (where you could venture outside while masked and maintaining social distancing ).
Sometimes when you see or hear a word a lot, it starts to lose its meaning. This is the case with “quarantine”. Here is a very short FAQ on what you need to do to properly self-quarantine yourself.
What does self-quarantine mean? Stay at home, without going anywhere else or seeing anyone outside your home, for 14 days.
The purpose of quarantine is to sequester you so that if you are infected you do not infect anyone else. Take the expression “stay home” literally.
What if I need something essential, like food or medicine? If you absolutely need something, have it delivered. To avoid potentially infecting the delivery person, ask them to leave your package in front of your closed front door, wait for it to leave, and wear a mask when you open your door to collect it. Good tip.
What if I really need to leave home to do something else? Kim-Farley said staying on your property still technically matters, so you can bring the dog back for a bathroom break or take out the trash while you’re wearing your mask. Other than that, the only valid reason to leave the premises is a doctor’s appointment, he said.
The point here is to avoid any chance of being around other people. This means no visitors, even if they only stop for a few minutes. No outdoor exercise beyond your property. No places to go, even if you just drop by the store for a few things or grab some take out or run a super-fast run.
What if I have to go to work? There is no such thing as “automatic quarantine, except for work.” If you leave home and go to your workplace, you potentially expose your colleagues and clients to the virus. You may be eligible for paid sick leave Family First Response to Coronavirus Act.
What if I take a test? The test does not exempt you from quarantine at any time during these 14 days. A negative test is not a pass to do what you want. You can test negative for the coronavirus, still incubating, and then the next day be contagious. A negative test a few days after quarantine may indicate that the viral load has not yet reached detectable levels. The only day you can take a test and know you are negative is day 14.
What if I start to feel sick? If you start to show symptoms of COVID-19, it’s even more important to avoid others as much as possible. Contact your doctor and let him know what’s going on and ask if he needs a test. If your test is positive, contact anyone you saw during your trip and let them know. If your symptoms are mild, follow your doctor’s advice. Depending on your condition, you may not need to go to the hospital. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, see a doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms: difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake up or stay awake, or bluish lips or face.
It all sounds really strict. I am bored. If you don’t want to be limited to your home for two weeks, don’t travel out of state. Remember, we only have to do this strange and different holiday season once. Hope is on the horizon.
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