Self Quarantine Guidelines

The purpose of this crowdsourced document is to create and share a basic guideline for self quarantine or home quarantine as part of the #EndCoronavirus movement.* Our collaborative documents are published under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA License. You are free to share, adapt and build upon the material, but you should give appropriate credit, link to EndCoronavirus.net and you may not use the material for commercial purposes. Open Editable Google Document

TL;DR:

• The Coronavirus outbreak has caused immense global impact as the virus spreads internationally. The World Health Organisation has declared this outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
• Not everyone carrying the Coronavirus (COVID-19) necessarily displays symptoms of the illness or feels ill. In order to stop the unhindered spread of the virus private and public organizations have introduced self-isolation and self-quarantine. 
• We encourage you to take action to prevent the spread of Coronavirus and share your activities on social media with the hashtag #EndCoronavirus.
  Coronavirus can only be stopped in a collaborative effort.
  Everybody can show others what they can do as well. 

Why is self quarantine necessary?

As the new Coronavirus COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, an increasing number of people have been told to self-quarantine. While some have tested positive for the virus, others have simply been exposed to it and have been advised to self-quarantine as a precaution.

Through self-isolation and self-quarantine we want to slow down and contain the spread of coronavirus. And ensure that medical treatment is available to those people who really need it.

What is self quarantine? 

If you have symptoms such as a cough and/or a high temperature, stay at home and avoid contact with other people as far as possible.

Self-quarantine involves staying at home for 14 days and avoiding contact with other people or animals. This means not going to work, taking public transport, running errands or having visitors stop by your home.

While friends and family can drop off essential items, they should not come into contact with the infected person. Food can be delivered but should be left on doorstep.

Stay at home for a further 48 hours after the symptoms subside to be on the safe side.

What does Self-quarantine mean?

If you have had close contact with someone who has been confirmed as having the new coronavirus, stay at home for a min. Of 5 days after the date on which the diagnosis was confirmed. Avoid any contact with other people during that time.

What do I need for self quarantine? 

If you’re quarantined at home for two weeks, there are certain supplies you’ll want to stock up on like dry and canned goods, a gallon of water a day for every person in your home, and a 30-day supply of prescription medications.

• Keep at least a gallon of water a day for each person — and pet — in your home, the American Red Cross recommends.
• You should have a 14-day supply of food for everyone in your household. Focus on dry and canned goods that are easy to prepare.
• Make sure you have hygienic products like soap, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, tissues, feminine care products, and diapers.
• If possible, get a 30-day supply of your prescription medications.
• Maintain a first-aid kit with supplies to treat common injuries.
• Take note of other medical supplies you may need, such as contact lenses or hearing-aid batteries. And make sure you have over-the-counter medicines like pain relievers and cough and cold medicines.
• You may want to get copies of your health records.

Guiding Principles 

We have defined a few guiding principles as we continue to move forward.

Monitor your health

Call a doctor by phone if your state of health requires this:

• if you are a particularly vulnerable person 1: immediately. Say that you are a person with risk factors and that you have symptoms.
• if you are not one of the most at risk: as soon as your respiratory symptoms worsen (e.g. shortness of breath).

If a doctor’s consultation is required and you have to leave the house, the health care professional will inform you about the rules of conduct.

If you live alone

• Have groceries and other vital products such as medication delivered to your front door by relatives / friends / delivery services.

If you live with other people in the same household

• Set up alone in a room with the doors closed and take the meals in your room. Ventilate your room regularly.
• Avoid all visits and contacts and only leave the room if necessary.
• Keep your distance from other people (at least 2 meters).
• Wash your hands regularly.
• Use your own bathroom. If this is not possible, clean the common sanitary facilities (shower, toilet, sink) after each use with a normal household disinfectant.
• Do not share dishes, glasses, cups, kitchen utensils, towels or bed linen with their people. Carefully clean the utensils in the washing machine after use or with soap and water.
• Wash your clothes, bed linen and bath towels regularly in the machine.

Washing of Hands

• You and the people around you must wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, clean your hands with a hand disinfectant by rubbing the entire hand with the liquid until they are dry. Soap and water must be used especially when the hands are visibly dirty.
• Even after you have prepared meals, before and after eating, after using the toilet and whenever the hands are visibly dirty.

Cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough.
• The materials with which you have covered your mouth or nose must be thrown away or will be
• Throw the used paper tissues in a special waste bin in your room.

Take all necessary precautionary measures

•  Waste that is contaminated with body fluids (stool, blood, mucus) must be thrown in a special waste container in your room before it is disposed of with other waste.
• Clean and disinfect touched surfaces such as bedside tables, bed frames and other bedroom furniture daily with a normal household disinfectant.
• Clean and disinfect the bathroom and toilet areas after each use with a normal household disinfectant.

End of self-isolation at home

• Stay home for up to 48 hours after the symptoms subside.
• Continue to follow the hygiene and behavior rules of the “How we protect ourselves” campaign:

What has to be done for your close surroundings (living in the same household, intimate contacts)?

• Tell people with whom you live in a household or with whom you have had intimate contact 24 hours before your symptoms begin that you should take care of your health and seek self-isolation as soon as you experience symptoms.