Question

Explain the difference between quarantine and isolation.

Answer 1

So quarantine, which has the word isolation in its definition, is an isolation of sorts when a person isn't sick, but has been exposed to the disease. Isolation is when a person is infected with a disease, and is separated from people who are healthy. This also helps stop the spread of the disease.

Answer 2

Isolation and quarantine are public health practices used to protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.