Isolation and quarantine: Preparedness and clinical requirements

Public Health - Seattle & King County is leading the region in the unprecedented challenge of meeting preparedness and clinical requirements for disease surveillance, mass treatment operations, and for isolation and quarantine protocols and training.

Definition of isolation and quarantine:

Isolation is the separation and restriction of movement of ill people to stop the spread of that illness to others. People in isolation may be cared for in their homes, in hospitals, or at designated health care facilities. Quarantine, in contrast, applies to people who have been exposed to a contagious illness and may be infected but are not yet ill. Separating exposed people and restricting their movements is intended to stop the spread of that illness. Quarantine can be highly effective in protecting the public from disease.

On December 15, 2003, Public Health - Seattle & King County sponsored a seminar that used the Toronto experience with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) to highlight the broad legal, policy and health care challenges in preparing for an outbreak of infectious disease or similar public health emergency.

The following PowerPoint presentations were given at the seminar:

• SARS : The Toronto Experience, A Legal Perspective
  by Jane Speakman, City of Toronto Legal Services
  
  
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Overview and Response Priorities
  by Jeffrey S. Duchin, M.D., Public Health - Seattle & King County
  
  
• Role of Containment Measures in the Response to SARS Division of Global Migration and Quarantine
  by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  
  
• Summary of Major Points. Quarantine / Isolation Planning Process
  
  
• Legal and Enforcement Issues Panelists