What is the difference between self-isolation and quarantine by law

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine has been introduced in many countries where there are many infected. In other cases, the state authorities choose the regime of self-isolation of citizens, which has been undertaken in Russia. Self-isolation and quarantine have a lot in common, but by law there are significant differences between them. How do these two concepts differ from each other?

Self-isolation mode concept

In a self-isolation regime, citizens must stay at home and avoid contact with others. On the territory of most regions of Russia, just such a regime has been introduced.

Unlike quarantine, self-isolation implies the ability to go outside in a limited number of cases. In each region, on an individual basis, a list of reasons for which a person can leave an apartment in self-isolation mode is established.

Basically, these are the following circumstances:

• receiving emergency medical care;
• visiting the nearest grocery store or pharmacy;
• walking the dog;
• going to work if necessary.

Elderly people should avoid visiting crowded places, even in the exceptional cases discussed above.

Quarantine concept

More severe restrictive measures are what also distinguishes quarantine from self-isolation under the law. Quarantine applies to infected individuals, as well as citizens with suspected disease. It is the isolation regimen prescribed by doctors.

Quarantine is observed by persons who have returned from countries with an unfavorable epidemiological situation, people with symptoms of coronavirus infection, as well as citizens who have come into contact with those infected with COVID-19.

The main provisions of the quarantine:

• the duration of isolation is 14 days, during which the citizen is at home under close medical supervision;
• on the tenth day, doctors do an analysis for COVID-19 by taking biomaterial (swab from the nose or oropharynx);
• people are forbidden to leave their homes, if possible, they should be allocated a separate room.

If the quarantine is violated, a person can be forcibly placed in the infectious diseases department of the hospital.

A responsibility

For violation of the general regime of self-isolation, a citizen may be punished in accordance with Part 1 of Article 19.3 of the Administrative Code - a fine of 500 to 1,000 rubles or administrative arrest up to 15 days. Even someone who decides to walk to a store located far from home runs the risk of being fined.

According to the law, there is no criminal punishment for violating the self-isolation regime - this is what also distinguishes self-isolation from quarantine.

The Code of Administrative Offenses was amended - at the end of March this year, article 20.6.1 "Failure to comply with the rules of conduct in an emergency or the threat of its occurrence" appeared. The document provides for fines for citizens in the amount of 1,000 to 30,000 rubles if their actions had grave consequences.

If a repeated offense or consequences in the form of harm to human health or his property is recorded, the offender may be fined from 15,000 to 50,000 rubles.

Honored Doctor of Tatarstan Boris Mendelevich is confident that the self-isolation regime will reduce the spread of COVID-19. He said that quarantine could be introduced in Russia if the critical threshold is exceeded.

Summarize

1. Self-isolation is a regime in which it is necessary to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. Along with this, there is a list of exceptional cases in which it is allowed to leave the house.
2. Quarantine is a measure prescribed by doctors for citizens arriving from countries with an unfavorable epidemiological situation, infected or in contact with infected with coronavirus.
3. The punishment for violating the self-isolation regime can be imposed in accordance with part 1 of Article 19.3 of the Administrative Code and is a fine of 500 to 1000 rubles or arrest for up to 15 days.
4. According to Article 20.6.1 of the Administrative Code, a fine of 1,000 to 30,000 rubles may be imposed for violation of quarantine. In case of repeated violation - from 15,000 to 50,000 rubles.