Life in Home Quarantine
After exiting hotel quarantine or “facility-based quarantine” on day 5 or 6 (depending on when you check out), you can head home to complete 14 days of quarantine. The reasoning behind this is sometimes symptoms appear up to 14 days after exposure to COVID-19. Generally though, the probability that symptoms will appear after day 5 is much lower – that’s why it’s OK to exit facility/hotel quarantine after day 5.
(Update: as of January 16, the total quarantine duration has been reduced from 14 to 7 days, which means you can exit home quarantine earlier than before. This can change based on current COVID-19 circumstances so please check with your airline and/or news and official government websites).
In my case I will be spending day 6 to 14 at my parents’ home. Today is day 11 of 14. They have assigned me the master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. If the quarantining person does not have a bathroom for their own exclusive use, the bathroom needs to be disinfected every time after the quarantining person uses it. I can remove my mask if I am in the room and bathroom; otherwise when in common areas I have to wear a mask and stay at least 1 meter/3 feet away from everyone else in the room. I eat at a separate table, which can get lonely, and have plates and utensils designated for my use only.
It takes some time to adjust to home quarantine. I was thinking it would have been better to be in hotel quarantine for the entire duration (14 days) so that when I get home there wouldn’t be restrictions with regard to interacting with family that I have to be conscious of and worry about all the time. As of now it’s still an “in-between” experience because of the restrictions. But it is what it is, and mom is happier that I’m within sight and not elsewhere. So not truly “comfortable” but really I shouldn’t complain.
The one advantage of home quarantine is I get to go out into the garden. Hotel quarantine does not let you go outdoors for fresh air. I’ll count my blessings. Here are some photos from the garden.
For reference, here are the requirements that must be met for home quarantine, from the Philippine Department of Health:
Home quarantine shall be allowed for suspect, probable, and confirmed cases of COVID-19 who are either asymptomatic or with mild symptoms only and controlled comorbidities, provided that the following requirements are met:
a. Infrastructure
- Line of communication for family and health workers
- Electricity, portable water, cooking source
- Bathroom with toilet and sink, if possible, separate from family (if none, disinfect bathroom after use)
- Solid waste and sewage disposal
- Well- ventilated room
b. Accommodations
- Separate bedroom – no vulnerable person in the household
- Accessible bathroom in the residence
c. Resource for patient care and support
- Primary caregiver who will remain in the residence (not high risk for complications and educated on proper precautions)
- Medications for pre-existing conditions, as needed
- Digital thermometer (disinfected before and after use) and pulse oximeter
- Meal preparation
- Masks, tissues, hand hygiene products
- Household cleaning products
