Feeling Isolated
Your Discussion should be 3-4 paragraphs in length, detailing your thoughts and position using 2-3 readings references for support. Also be sure to pose 1-2 well thought out questions from which your colleagues can formulate a response or generate further discussion.
Scenario: You have just been accepted as an intern at an organization primarily concerned with disease surveillance and prevention efforts. As part of your employment, you are required to learn about and be able to consult with outside officials on a disease of global concern on behalf of the organization.
- Research and discuss an infectious disease that poses the threat of a pandemic and may require isolation or quarantine efforts. Provide a short overview of the disease including etiology, transmission, and public health characteristics of the disease.
- Reflect on the social impact of isolation or quarantine should an outbreak or threat of widespread transmission occur. Would there be a question of moral responsibility or do other factors take precedence? What would you personally advise in regard to governments or healthcare organizations imposing mandatory immunization, isolation, or quarantine?
- How would you personally feel if you were the subject of isolation or quarantine? What would you hope government officials, healthcare professionals, or even your own friends or family do to aid you in this time?
Note: Be sure to use APA formatted in-text citations and references within your post.
Resources to get you started:
Psychosocial impacts of quarantine during disease outbreaks and interventions that may help to relieve strain
http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/publications/Psychosocial-impacts-of-quarantine.pdf
Attitudes Toward The Use Of Quarantine In A Public Health Emergency In Four Countries
http://www.commed.vcu.edu/IntroPH/Communicable_Disease/attitudes2Quarantinehamar06.pdf
1. Research and discuss an infectious disease that poses the threat of pandemic and may require isolation or quarantine efforts. Provide a short overview of the disease including etiology, transmission, and public health characteristics of the disease.
"In December 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia of unknown origin was reported in China," and those unknown pneumonia patients spread in China and around the world within a few months (Ciotti et al., 2020, para.). Genome analysis reveals that the unknown pneumonia was caused by a novel coronavirus related to SARS-CoV and" named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)," which is classified as a "betacoronavirus belonging to the subgenus Sarbecovirus" (Ciotti et al., 2020, para.1). The main symptoms are "fever, sore throat and cough, fatigue, headache, loss of taste or smell, or difficulty breathing, etc. The SARS-CoV2 virus is contagious through contact transmission, airborne infection, and through inhaling aerosols, microscopic particles of their bodily fluids containing the virus. In addition, the time lag from infection to the onset of symptoms (Incubation period) is up to 14 days and is more prolonged than in other infectious diseases, which is why patients are unaware that they are infected and spread the infection to people around them (Providence, 2022). Therefore, COVID-19 is a disease that requires strict management with early diagnosis and isolation of infected persons.
2. Reflect on the social impact of isolation or quarantine should an outbreak or threat of widespread transmission occur. Would there be a question of moral responsibility or do other factors take precedence? What would you personally advise in regard to governments or healthcare organizations imposing mandatory immunization, isolation, or quarantine?
Vaccination against the SARS-CoV2 virus was optional in my country, never compulsory. When vaccination was first introduced, many citizens were hesitant to get vaccinated, but now the vaccination rate in Japan is well over 80%. However, some countries imposed strict quarantines that required vaccination and dismissed those who refused. These disregarded all the people's physical, mental, and religious reasons, causing suffering to many citizens. I oppose these government policies and urge them to provide citizens with more options than just vaccination.
Regarding isolation, the Japanese government requires patients to be completely isolated for ten days after the onset of symptoms. Compared to other countries, stricter controls are in place, and many patients complain about these controls due to anxiety and inconvenience. But in isolation, public health must take precedence over moral responsibility because failure to prevent infection will lead to a collapse of medical care, and many lives will be lost. The Japanese government provided food and support to all infected people during the isolation period. These have led patients to cooperate with strict isolation measures, resulting in good results. I think in also many countries around the world, government support for patients' diets during the isolation period will also contribute to the success of the quarantine measures.
3. How would you personally feel if you were the subject of isolation or quarantine? What would you hope government officials, healthcare professionals, or even your own friends or family do to aid you in this time?
Johal described, "Being in quarantine and remaining at home has farreaching consequences, including loss of intimacy and social contact, culminating in physical and psychological isolation" (2009, p.2). It is true. I actually contracted COVID-19 at work in February of this year and was quarantined. My symptoms were mild, but I worried if I got worse, I also felt lonely because I lived alone and had no one to help me. Under such circumstances, the food deliveries from the government I mentioned earlier and chats or calls from friends supported me physically and mentally during the isolation period. So it is important to keep in touch with patients in the isolation period in various ways.
Questions
1. How has your community been affected by COVID-19? Is it still serious?
2. How are COVID-19 patients isolated in your country? Do you think that method is appropriate?
References
Ciotti, M., Ciccozzi, M., Terrinoni, A., Jiang, W. C., Wang, C. B., & Bernardini, S. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic. Critical reviews in clinical laboratory sciences, 57(6), 365-388. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408363.2020.1783198
Johal, S. S. (2009). Psychosocial impacts of quarantine during disease outbreaks and interventions that may help to relieve strain. THE NEW ZEALAND MEDICAL JOURNAL. Retrieved from https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/publications/Psychosocial-impacts-of-quarantine.pdf
Providence. (2022). Covid-19 incubation timeline: When am I contagious? Your Hub For Coronavirus Resources.Retrieved from https://coronavirus.providence.org/blog/uf/669939767?streamId=7436536
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