As the number of coronavirus cases grows in the U.S., we’re hearing a lot about how social distancing, self-monitoring and even quarantine play into containment efforts.
But what do those terms mean and when do they apply?
We asked experts and found out there is some overlap and lots of confusion.
Here’s a quick guide for what you need to know.
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Q. Why is all this happening?
A. In the U.S., testing got off to a slow start, limiting efforts to isolate those with the disease. Public health experts now say the most important goal is to slow the spread of the coronavirus so that the number of people who require medical attention doesn’t overwhelm hospitals.
If evidence holds from experiences to date in countries further along in the outbreak, most people who contract this virus will have mild cases. Still, the data from abroad indicates that 10% to 20% could end up in a more serious condition. That means if tens of millions of Americans come down with COVID-19, potentially hundreds of thousands may need hospital care.
No one wants that to happen.
“That could stress the health system. We’re trying to avoid becoming like Italy,” said Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.
In Italy, the number of cases rapidly skyrocketed from a handful a few weeks ago to nearly 28,000 cases and more than 2,100 deaths as of Monday afternoon. The rapid escalation may be partly attributed to aggressive testing, but hospitals in the northern part of the country are running out of ICU beds.
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Q. What is the difference between self-quarantining and self-monitoring?
A. There’s a bit of overlap, say experts.
Both strategies aim to keep people who have been exposed, or might have been exposed, away from others as much as possible for a period. That has generally meant 14 days, considered the incubation period of COVID-19, although symptoms can appear within a few days of exposure.
