Coronavirus: UAE issues self-quarantine guidelines

Stock up on food and don't rely too much on screens, if you find yourself confined at home

Health officials screen the temperature of workers on a Nile cruise ship near Luxor, Egypt. According to Egypt's Health Ministry, 12 people tested positive for coronavirus on a Nile cruise ship coming from Aswan and heading to Luxor. EPA

People look at a man wearing a protective mask as a means of prevention against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Al Rahman mosque, after Friday prayers, in the southern suburb of Maadi, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. REUTERS

Revolutionary Guard members disinfect an ATM machine to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Tehran, Iran. AP Photo

Iraqi medical staff rest after checking passengers' temperature, amid coronavirus outbreak, at Najaf airport, Iraq. REUTERS

The outbreak map dashboard showing statistics on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States during a briefing from Johns Hopkins University on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. AFP

A sanitation worker wears a protective face mask after a case of coronavirus was confirmed in the country, at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru. REUTERS

Children walk past an image of Mona Lisa with a protective face mask after further cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Barcelona, Spain. REUTERS

Empty shelves at a Walmart as people have started to rush and stock first necessity products over fear of a coronavirus outbreak, in Los Angeles, California, USA. EPA

A couple wear face masks as they ride an escalator at a shopping mall in Beijing. AP Photo

Soldiers from The High Command of Chemicals under Vietnam's Ministry of National Defence spray disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus on Truc Bach street in Hanoi, Vietnam. A 26-year-old Vietnamese woman recently back from Europe has tested positive for coronavirus, the first confirmed case after weeks. Since the outbreak began, the country has reported only 17 cases of COVID-19, 16 of whom have been cured and released from hospital. EPA

A camera operator wears a protective mask as British Columbia Premier John Horgan, Health Minister Adrian Dix, back right, and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, hidden, take questions during a news conference about the provincial response to the coronavirus, in Vancouver, British Columbia. AP

US President Donald Trump (C) holds a picture of the coronavirus with US Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar (L), CDC Director Robert Redfield (2nd R), and CDC Associate Director for Laboratory Science and Safety (ADLSS) Dr. Steve Monroe (R) during a tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. AFP

With the number of coronavirus cases rising rapidly across the world, it is increasingly likely that those with mild to moderate symptoms, or even just those who have been exposed to an infected person, will be asked to “self-isolate” at home rather than be treated in a hospital.

But what does this mean?  The UAE has issued new official guidelines so that residents know what to expect.

What does it mean to “self-isolate”?

Basically, it means staying at home and avoiding contact with others.

You might be asked to self-isolate if you have tested positive for an illness, until you are no longer infected.

Equally, those who have been exposed to someone with Covid-19 could be asked to self-isolate to avoid passing it on, even if symptoms have not developed yet and a diagnosis has not yet been confirmed.

This is in case the virus is still in its incubation period, meaning a person is carrying it but symptoms have not yet developed.

In these cases the isolation period would continue until it is confirmed that a person does not have the illness.

But shouldn’t all coronavirus patients always be treated in hospital?

Not necessarily. While thousands of people have already died from the illness, these have disproportionately been people who are elderly or have underlying health issues.

So far, it has been common practice to seek to quarantine those infected, but this is to prevent spread in the community as well as for the health of the patient.

If it reaches a stage where the infection is being widely passed from person-to-person, health systems would not have the capacity to treat every person in an isolated hospital bed. Doctors would then be likely to prioritise only the most at-risk patients.

Experts have said that for most otherwise healthy people catching Covid-19, the symptoms are likely to be only mild or moderate.

Carl Goldman, a 67-year-old US radio station owner who caught coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, has said his experience of the illness has been “not that bad”.

"My chest feels tight, and I have coughing spells," he told the Washington Post. "If I were at home with similar symptoms, I probably would have gone to work as usual."

How long will quarantine last?

Typically, for two weeks. “Anticipate at least seven to 14 days in isolation at home,” the UAE guidance states.

Can I prepare?

While there is no way of knowing whether you will be asked to self-isolate, there are steps you can take to prepare.

Buying a two week supply of non-perishable food items is recommended, as well as long-life alternatives to fresh products, for example powdered or UHT milk and tinned fruit and vegetables.

Other important items are disposable tissues, antibacterial wipes and latex gloves.

A medical kid should include a thermometer and paracetamol. Also, make sure you have enough of any medication you need to last a couple of weeks.

Can people visit me?

In a word, no.

Friends and family members offer support to someone in quarantine, for example by bringing groceries and other supplies. But they should leave these at the front door.

It is also advised that all household members should stay at home, even if only one person has been exposed to the virus. Just one other member of the family should look after them. If a household has a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, it is wise for the quarantined person to stay there.

“Try to keep the exposed person away from other members of the household,” the UAE guidance states. “For example, they should stay in their bedroom with the door closed, and they should not share a bedroom.

“If the exposed person needs to share a common area with other people, they should try to stay one meter or more from other people to reduce the spread of illness, and wear a facemask.

“Arrange for to have exclusive use of one bathroom (if your house has more than one bathroom). Keep items separate For example, do not share towels or eating utensils, or store toothbrushes in the same holder.”

Won’t it be boring?

Probably. Those in quarantine at home may want to continue working remotely, if they are well enough.

An up-to-date Netflix subscription may be useful, but UAE health officials have warned against too much screen time.

"Do not rely too heavily on the television and technology,” the advice states. “Treat quarantine as an opportunity to do some of those things you never usually have time for, such as board games, craft, drawing and reading.”