Measures such as a 14-day quarantine for anyone traveling from Hubei Province or any other area in China have also been instated nation-wide. Quarantines are used to separate individuals who may have been exposed to the virus and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Health officials monitor quarantined individuals so they can be tested and treated if symptoms appear.
Self-quarantines are also being implemented for those individuals who may have been exposed to the virus but have no symptoms. Under self-quarantine, individuals do not go to work, school or other public places where they risk infecting others. This lasts 14 days from the last date of suspected exposure. Self-quarantined individuals are directed by public health departments on how to monitor their own health, so they can be quickly isolated should they develop symptoms. If individuals develop symptoms, they are then isolated to prevent the spread of the virus to others.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency (PHE) for the U.S. at the end of January. Declaring a PHE gives the Department of Health and Human Services the ability to temporarily reassign certain personnel to respond to the spread of COVID-19 and help states where they’re needed.
