Isolation vs Quarantine: Difference and Comparison

These two terms, Isolation, and Quarantine, are not new to us, considering the ongoing pandemic situation. People are getting instructed to get in Isolation and Quarantine.

On the one hand, Isolation is done when there is the certainty of the sickness, but on the other hand, Quarantine means not necessarily having the sickness, and it’s uncertain.

Key Takeaways

1. Isolation separates sick individuals from healthy ones. The quarantine restricts the movement of potentially exposed people.
2. Isolation duration depends on the illness. Quarantine duration is based on the incubation period.
3. Both measures aim to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Isolation vs Quarantine

Isolation is the separation of individuals who are confirmed to be infected with a contagious disease from healthy individuals. Quarantine is a restriction imposed on individuals who have been exposed to a disease but have not yet developed symptoms. It is a precautionary measure.

Isolation basically helps to separate sick people from healthy people so that they don’t get sick. It restricts the movement and it’s a routine procedure that is done in hospitals and medical facilities.

Quarantine is done to see people if they become sick when exposed to some certain kind of contagious disease. The people who get quarantined are not necessarily sick.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Isolation	Quarantine
Duration	Isolation needs to be done for at least 10 days. It means to stay indoors until the condition gets improves.	It needs to be done from 12-15 days giving it enough time for the systems to get visible.
Purpose	It happens when people get sick due to some contagious disease. They are then kept separated from other people to stop the spreading.	It is done to prevent other people from the disease as a prevention act. The people may or may not get sick.
Targeted people	It is for the people who already got exposed to the disease and have got sick.	It is for the people who have been exposed to the disease but do not show any symptoms.
Location	It is carried out in hospitals and medical facilities.	It can be done by staying at home or any location until there is no contact with other people.
Risks	It is a matter of great risk if an isolated person is not restricted	It has a much lesser risk because there is uncertainty of the disease.

What is Isolation?

Isolation is for people who are been diagnosed with a certain kind of disease and showing symptoms. It becomes a necessity when people are sick to prevent other healthy people from becoming sick.

It is carried out for at least 10 days when the person starts to get improve, and fewer symptoms are shown. Isolation can be more serious than being quarantined because the infected people are more likely to spread the disease.

What is Quarantine?

Quarantined people are exposed to infectious diseases and they have not shown any symptoms. So, they are advised to stay away from other people and be quarantined at their home or any other location.

They are occasionally provided the guidelines for monitoring their health, checking on their temperatures, and then reporting it to any health authority. 

It can be used when there is a sudden outbreak of any disease or an epidemic which can be on a wider scale and definitely at the time of a pandemic when there is a global outbreak of any disease.

Main Differences Between Isolation and Quarantine

1. Medical facilities and hospitals carry out isolation, whereas One can quarantine himself by staying at home or another location until there is negligible contact with the outside.
2. Isolated people have the greater risk to infect anybody, whereas, Quarantine people have the much lesser risk to infect other people.

References

1. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-15346-5_9
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc7235486/