What is "quarantine"?

Quarantine refers to the isolation of individuals who may have been exposed to a contagious disease to prevent its spread. This process involves separating these individuals from the healthy population to monitor them for any symptoms of the disease and limit the potential for transmission to others. Quarantine is particularly important in managing outbreaks of infectious diseases, as it helps contain pathogens and protects public health.

In contrast, immunization involves administering vaccines to prevent disease, treating individuals with infections focuses on providing care to those who are already sick, and testing for infections is the process of diagnosing whether someone has a particular disease. Each of these methods plays a role in disease management, but quarantine specifically addresses the need to control the spread of infectious agents by isolating those who may carry them.