What are quarantine and isolation, and what is the difference?
Quarantine: Keeping someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. Individuals in quarantine should stay home for 14 days, separate themselves from others, monitor their health and follow directions from the Protect Purdue Health Center. You may leave your home to get grab-and-go food and eat at home. For more from the CDC on quarantine, go here.
Isolate/Isolation: Separating people infected with the virus (those who are sick with COVID-19 as well as those with no symptoms). Individuals with active cases are asked to isolate for at least 10 days after symptoms begin and 24 hours after their fever has broken, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and with the improvement of other symptoms. Individuals in isolation must not leave their home except for emergencies. They should monitor their health and follow directions from the Protect Purdue Health Center. For more from the CDC on isolation, go here.
A handout on quarantine and isolation is also available.