You’ve been told to self-quarantine. Now what?
This week, my husband and I completed our 14-day self-quarantine after travel to Italy. What we have learned during these two weeks is that most information sources reiterate how to avoid infection (and rightly so) but say little to nothing about what you should do once in self-quarantine. My colleague, Catherine, and I have some tips while you practice social distancing.
Quarantine means separating yourself from others because you have been (or may have been) exposed to an infectious disease and could become sick and spread the disease to others. It doesn’t mean you have the disease.
The word “quarantine” is based on the Italian word for 40. During the years of the plague, sailors from other lands were kept on board ship for 40 days to make sure they wouldn’t bring the plague into Italy. Thankfully, we no longer quarantine people for the full 40 days. Though the confinement may keep you from exposing others, it is a radical break from busy routines of daily life and introduces new stresses. There is not only the uncertainty, once in quarantine, over whether you will become ill, there is the relentless news of spreading infection and of worsening social and economic impacts that can become your primary focus. As community transmission increases, more people will be required to selfquarantine. This kind of separation and restricted social connection, even when you are well, can lead to confusion, anger, anxiety, sadness, loneliness and fear.
How do we mitigate these personal risks?
First, if only one person is quarantined but there are other members in the household, it’s important to take precautions so as not to spread the virus to them, should you develop the disease. All the things we’ve been told to do — cover your cough, wash your hands properly — apply. It’s also especially important to decontaminate surfaces such as countertops, doorknobs and faucet handles. These precautions apply not just for coronavirus but influenza and even the common cold. We like to share with family members but don’t need to be sharing viruses!
If you are quarantined, you will find yourself in an unanticipated and unnerving situation. What we know from public health research is that it becomes especially important during this crisis to boost your immune system and pay attention to your mental and emotional health. Let’s focus on a few tips for each.
Immune system boosts
Increase your physical activity — since you can’t go to the gym, use the many exercise routines on YouTube, or you can jump rope, do jumping jacks and practice yoga.
Introduce more fruits and vegetables (antioxidants) into your diet. Add in extra sleep. Consciously hydrate.
Mental and emotional support
Establish new daily schedules and routines.
Increase your communication with family and friends.
Get out in nature daily. If you have a backyard, that works, or find a park that is not too crowded, maintaining at least a 6foot distance from others.
Meditate, garden, read, cook — do something pleasurable that calms you.
Do something for others feeling isolated.
None of these ideas are new, but they take on added urgency in crisis mode. Undoubtedly, physical activity and exercise give immune systems the greatest boost, with a bonus for emotional health. Research on other coronaviruses shows that just 30 minutes of exercise daily builds the immune system against infection. Any physical movement is beneficial, especially if it’s in a natural setting such as a park. Better yet, this can add structure to your day so that it becomes a part of a predictable routine. Dr. Jon Stevens, chief of outpatient services at the Menninger Clinic, notes that it is important to stick to routines. Basically, having structure helps decrease anxiety. Extra rest and hydration also have many benefits under stressful conditions.
We are in a new and difficult period when we need to support each other. Although this can be a trying time personally, some of our best thinkers have advised that it is during difficult times where we grow the most and can help to make the world better with simple, small acts of kindness. If you know someone who is in quarantine, reach out — call, text, contact through social media. Maintain that human contact. Together, supporting each other, we can get through this.
Bray is the founding director of the BridgeUp Center at the Menninger Clinic and holds an adjunct appointment at UTHealth School of Public Health; Troisi is an infectious disease epidemiologist at UTHealth School of Public Health.