Medical Isolation of Close Contacts is Consequential in COVID Management

The COVID-19 is an ongoing global illness of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This pandemic is the core concern of the world that is imposing a huge burden on the healthcare system. A novel coronavirus SARS CoV-2 out broke at the end of 2019. Adhanom (2020) explained the abbreviation: CO means corona, VI means a virus, D means disease, and 19 for when the epidemic was first identified (31 December 2019). The illness caused by this virus strain was formally named COVID-19 by World Health Organization (WHO).

Symptoms of COVID-19 are highly variable, ranging from none to life-threateningly severe. Its spreads when the public breathes in air contaminated by droplets and small airborne particles. 

The risk is highest when people are in close proximity. Recommended preventions are wearing face masks in public, social distancing, well-ventilated living and air-filtering, hand washing, disinfecting surfaces, and monitoring and self-isolation for people symptomatic. 

Several vaccines have been developed and widely distributed but current treatments focus on addressing symptoms. Research work is underway to develop therapeutic drugs that inhibit the virus. The government of each country is implementing travel restrictions, lockdowns/quarantines, workplace hazard controls, and business closures as per its need and number of active cases. The pandemic has resulted in significant worldwide economic and disruption, including the largest global recession. It has led to prevalent supply shortages intensified by panic buying, food shortages agricultural disruption. Conversely, there have also been reduced emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. From the starting of this pandemic till now, numerous educational institutions and public areas have been partially or fully closed, and many events have been canceled or postponed. 

Recently, Ping et al. (2021) presented a study in ‘The Journal Of Infection In Developing Countries’ to demonstrate the epidemiologic characteristics of COVID-19 in Guizhou province. The findings indicating that Guizhou Province had achieved significant progress in preventing the spread of the epidemic till February 2, 2020. The medical isolation of adjacent contacts was consequential. In the meantime, the super-spreaders and the asymptomatic carriers and must be isolated in time, who would cause a prevalent infection.