How to isolate safely?
Many people forced to self-quarantine opt for renting a place, for example after having travelled abroad or across state lines. With someone at hand to provide groceries and medicine this is probably the safest way to protect people we usually live with. However, it's also a costly one and many simply couldn't afford to move for 2 weeks.
If you're among them, the safest way is to stay within a part of your household for the entire time of your quarantine/sickness. It's crucial to limit or avoid entirely crossing paths between the person potentially infected and remaining residents. This is easier in houses with more than one bathroom, but should be manageable even in smaller flats.
In such cases, however, much stricter sanitary regime is required. That is, all high-touch surfaces should be cleaned frequently and the person in isolation should always wear a face mask when in proximity to others. Keep in mind, latest research suggests the virus can remain in aerosolized form for hours after being exhaled, especially in a room used by the person potentially infected. For this reason others should avoid entering the space until the isolation ends. Everyone at home should take particular care to frequently wash their hands and regularly change clothes.
One extra challenge is having a child in isolation. “I think that's a tougher situation. It's very hard to stay away from kids, especially when they're ill and need care and comfort. If possible, main caregivers should be those who are not at high risk from COVID-19, meaning those not over age sixty or with underlying health issues. Other than that, it's important to take the normal precautions in terms of handwashing and cleaning, but it is much more difficult with children.” says Crystal Watson, assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
