The significance of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Self-Quarantine is pivotal in managing public health during contagious outbreaks or pandemics. This comprehensive guide outlines standardized procedures for individuals who need to isolate themselves to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Its importance lies in providing clear and uniform guidelines on self-quarantine protocols, duration, and essential practices.

The SOP for Self-Quarantine serves as a critical tool for public health education, ensuring that individuals understand the necessary steps to protect themselves and others. It helps minimize the risk of transmission, particularly in situations where physical distancing is essential.

Moreover, the SOP contributes to community well-being by reducing the strain on healthcare systems and aiding in the containment of infectious diseases. It instills confidence in the public, promoting a collective understanding of responsible and effective self-quarantine measures during health emergencies. In essence, the SOP for Self-Quarantine is significant for public health, ensuring a coordinated and informed response to infectious disease outbreaks.

1.0 Scope

In China, 70 to 80 percent of transmission occurred within family clusters, according to the World Health Organization.

2.0 Assumptions

1. COVID-19 virus doesn’t have lifespan of more than three days on the non-living things. Again, this may change because of the temperature, humidity and surface. Hence at this point of time, this is a popular belief.
2. None of the members under self-quarantine have already contracted the virus.
3. You are living in this self-quarantine facility at least for the last 30 days or it is thoroughly sanitised before the commencement of the self-quarantine.

Top 50 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Self-Quarantine 

SOP-644-001: Standard Operating Procedure for Self-Quarantine Plan 
SOP-644-002: Standard Operating Procedure for Communication Protocols 
SOP-644-003: Standard Operating Procedure for Designating a Quarantine Area 
SOP-644-004: Standard Operating Procedure for Personal Hygiene Practices 
SOP-644-005: Standard Operating Procedure for Waste Disposal 
SOP-644-006: Standard Operating Procedure for Monitoring Symptoms
SOP-644-007: Standard Operating Procedure for Temperature Checks
SOP-644-008: Standard Operating Procedure for Food and Water Management
SOP-644-009: Standard Operating Procedure for Medication Management 
SOP-644-010: Standard Operating Procedure for Cleaning and Disinfecting

SOP-644-011: Standard Operating Procedure for Laundry Procedures
SOP-644-012: Standard Operating Procedure for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Usage 
SOP-644-013: Standard Operating Procedure for Entertainment and Mental Well being 
SOP-644-014: Standard Operating Procedure for Exercise and Physical Activity
SOP-644-015: Standard Operating Procedure for Remote Work Protocols 
SOP-644-016: Standard Operating Procedure for Deliveries and Packages
SOP-644-017: Standard Operating Procedure for Emergency Contact Information
SOP-644-018: Standard Operating Procedure for Telehealth and Medical Consultations 
SOP-644-019: Standard Operating Procedure for Continuous Monitoring and Reporting 
SOP-644-020: Standard Operating Procedure for Testing Protocols

SOP-644-021: Standard Operating Procedure for End of Self-Quarantine Evaluation 
SOP-644-022: Standard Operating Procedure for Returning to Regular Activities 
SOP-644-023: Standard Operating Procedure for Dealing with Emergencies
SOP-644-024: Standard Operating Procedure for Mental Health Support
SOP-644-025: Standard Operating Procedure for Family and Household Considerations 
SOP-644-026: Standard Operating Procedure for Internet and Communication Access 
SOP-644-027: Standard Operating Procedure for Monitoring Travel History
SOP-644-028: Standard Operating Procedure for Remote Learning and Education 
SOP-644-029: Standard Operating Procedure for Work-from-Home Guidelines
SOP-644-030: Standard Operating Procedure for Childcare and Parenting

SOP-644-031: Standard Operating Procedure for Pet Care 
SOP-644-032: Standard Operating Procedure for Remote Social Interaction
SOP-644-033: Standard Operating Procedure for Maintaining Routine and Structure 
SOP-644-034: Standard Operating Procedure for Handling Deliveries
SOP-644-035: Standard Operating Procedure for Inventory Management
SOP-644-036: Standard Operating Procedure for Disinfection of High-Touch Surfaces
SOP-644-037: Standard Operating Procedure for Remote Team Collaboration
SOP-644-038: Standard Operating Procedure for Monitoring Mental Health
SOP-644-039: Standard Operating Procedure for Virtual Meetings
SOP-644-040: Standard Operating Procedure for Managing Prescription Medications 

SOP ToolBox: If you are reading these lines, I am sure you are looking for Standard Operating Procedure guidelines or SOPs itself. In both the cases, searching in internet will not be yielding any great help. Because no company shares their SOP Development Process and certainly don’t share their SOP Documents. The best way to develop an SOP is creating one for yourself. At Fhyzics, we write SOPs day-in and day-out for companies across the globe including some of the Fortune 500 organisations. Our charge ranges from USD 5000 to USD 50000 depending upon the number of processes to be covered. Certainly, this is not affordable to small and mid-size organisations. Hence, we decided to create this SOP ToolBox to disseminate our 8-Step SOP Development Life-Cycle and best practices at an unbelievably low price.

I always say, writing an SOP is somewhere between art and science. So far you may be clueless on where to start and how to progress on an SOP? This will not be the case after you diligently go through this SOP ToolBox. We have summarised all our secrets here to get you started and to deliver a stunning SOP to your management.

3.0 Review Cycle

This SOP on Self-Quarantine (SOP-FBC-9999) shall be reviewed and revised once in a day at 2:00 PM based on the inputs received from experts and healthcare professionals. Fhyzics requests the readers to provide such inputs directly as comments at the bottom of this page.

This Standard Operating Procedure for Self-Quarantine is reviewed by :
A.Mahalingam
Healthcare Administrator cum Academician
President
Association for Healthcare Management Professionals – India (AHMP)

4.0 What is Self-Quarantine?

5.0 Touch-Points Analysis

• Visitors
• Home delivered milk
• Courier, national post etc.
• House maids
• Home repairs
• Pets
• Home delivery of groceries
• Rodents and Insects etc.
• Currency and Coins
  
  

6.0 External-Affairs Member

1. First person to meet any outsiders on behalf of the family
2. The only person authorised to go out of home

Prevention is the only Vaccine.

 

EA member should try to avoid any face-to-face meeting with all outsiders to the extent possible. EA members should understand that they are the only source of bringing any infection to the family members from an outsider or from general public. In an unavoidable situation where the face-to-face meeting happens the EA member shall follow the protocol:

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap
2. Wear face mask properly without leaving any gaps around the edges of the face mask to make it airtight and secure it properly by tying
3. Wear gloves in both the hands
4. “Namaste” shall always be the greeting method
5. Maintain a 2-meter distance between the visitor and yourself during the conversation
6. Don’t receive any articles or goods directly from the visitor as you will not be able to maintain the 2-meter separation. Ask the visitor to leave such articles or goods in the buffer-zone of your home
7. At no point the distance between you and your visitor shall be less than 2 meters
8. Develop a practice to hold your hands separately as if it is stained
9. Do not touch the doors, doorknobs, handrails etc. with your palm, rather use your elbow or back of your palm to push the doors
10. In case you need to turn the doorknobs remove the glove on your left-hand and turn the knobs

Note: Right-click and select “Open image in new tab” to view a larger image.

EA Member is the only person authorised to go out of home. In China, this is one of the methods that was used to contain the spread of the virus. The EA member shall follow the below protocols:

1. There should be an essential purpose to go out of home, so plan for your purpose in a detailed manner.
2. Follow the news and don’t go to the epicentre of this outbreak, so even before leaving, plan at home where you are going and what you are going to get
3. Consolidate all your requirements for a week, hence talk to your family members, so that you can avoid frequent visits
4. Make a list of activities you need to perform when you go out. This list may contain, going to ATM to withdraw cash, getting medicines for the elderly, groceries for the next one week, etc. Postpone all your non-essentials for a later date and save money, as no one knows how long this situation will continue.
5. Now prepare to start from home and keep your home members informed where you are going.
6. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap
7. Wear face mask properly without leaving any gaps around the edges of the face mask to make it airtight and secure it properly by tying
8. Wear gloves in both the hands
9. Take your phone, cash, credit cards, car key, purchase list, bag etc. so that you complete the tasks in one straight trip
10. Try to park your vehicle closer to the store (ensure legal parking) so that you walk for a shorter distance.
11. Try to use your shoulder back or elbow or legs or back of your palm to open the doors in ATM kiosks or mom-and-pop stores.
12. “Namaste” shall always be the greeting method.
13. On your return to home, unload the things in the Quarantine Zone
14. Leave the handwritten purchase list on the goods with the date of purchase
15. These items can be used on completion of three full day quarantine period.
16. If anything is urgently required, you need to wash the exterior of the item with soap water to remove any possible contamination.
17. Then go to the identified restroom remove your dress, wash hands, wash face and wash legs and then change to a new dress. The removed dress should be left for at least a day before taking it for washing.

Note: Right-click and select “Open image in new tab” to view a larger image.

7.0 Establish a Quarantine Zone

The quarantine zone shall be close to the entrance of the house, but not at the quick reach of children. It shall be under lock and key to prevent, children or adults taking it before the quarantine period is over. Since the quarantine period is three-days, you should take the products that have a shelf life of more than three days. Those products with less than three-days shelf life or those that are needed urgently shall be washed with soap water on the exterior surfaces of the packages or dropped into water at 70 deg centigrade for 60 seconds before thorough cooking.

Note: Right-click and select “Open image in new tab” to view a larger image.

Family members should monitor their own health, and contact a doctor if they develop a cough, fever or shortness of breath, signs of Covid-19.

Note: Right-click and select “Open image in new tab” to view a larger image.

8.0 Steps for Self-Quarantine

8.2 Visitors  : To the extent possible avoid all visitors. Non-essential meeting with visitors will completely jeopardise the self-quarantine exercise. But in some cases you may have to permit health workers and doctors. In that case, the visitor shall be received the EA Member and then understand the necessity to meet. In case the visitor need to meet any other members of your family then they shall meet following all the protocols of meeting a visitor indicated earlier.
8.3 News : Be aware of what’s happening in your locality, nation and at global level. Identify one channel each at local, national and at global level to keep yourself update of the progress of COVID and to learn about additional safety measures. As COVID is relatively new to the whole world we tend to get new information on daily basis, hence staying on top of these new information is vital for your and your family’s health and safety.
8.4 Employment : During this period of self-quarantine, please ensure that you are in touch with your colleagues and manager of your company and keep updating them about the progress of work and don’t hesitate to take any help from your colleagues and company.
8.5 Milk : Stop the daily delivered milk packets. Instead use the milk power or long-life milk.
8.6 Courier : Most of the courier companies demand signature. Talk to them to avoid, but in the worst case the EA member shall take care of this following the protocol.

Note: Right-click and select “Open image in new tab” to view a larger image.

8.7 National Posts : Don’t bother about all the advertisements, catalogues and coupons you receive. Let it wait for a later date.
8.8 House Maid : Some of the households have the maid working full-time for that one household. This is recommended in self-quarantine situation. But in some other cases, the maids may be serving several households in a region. There is a potential danger for contamination as they are visiting multiple places frequently in a day. It is recommended that you may request the house maid not to come to your home until the quarantine period is over.
8.9 Home Repairs: Postpone all your home repairs unless otherwise it is unsafe for the residents. Try to do small repairs or fixes on your own.
8.10 Pets : Keep your pets indoor. Don’t let them to go out as they become the passive carrier for the germs.
8.11 Home Delivery of Groceries : Ask the home delivery to staff to unload the things at the entrance of your home. Don’t allow them into the quarantine zone as they may contaminate the goods that will be released today.
8.12 Rodents and Insects : Keep your kitchen and living rooms free from rodents and insects as they may move across the households in a densely populated area and may contaminate the food items and other surfaces.

Note: Right-click and select “Open image in new tab” to view a larger image.

8.13 Alcohol : Stay away from alcohol during your self-quarantine period. First, alcohol consumption will reduce your immunity. Second, you may suffer from a lowered decision-making skill and during that time you may commit certain violations on self-quarantine policies. Third, you are with your children and family members, be supportive to them during this tough times.
8.14 Exercise : A moderate exercise for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening would be really helpful to boost your immune system and to be active in the absence of our routine tasks.
8.15 Beware of Fake News : During these disturbing times, please follow the reliable news sources and channels. Whenever you get any news that talks about any drastic measures, first you need to verify and validate its veracity.
8.16 Facial Hairs : Having a large moustache or beard may reduce the efficacy of wearing the masks. So during this time it is recommended to have a clean shaved face at all times. In case of some urgency, shaving the face may not come to mind immediately and you may wear masks on the beard, which may not protect.
8.17 Avoid Self Medication : During this self-quarantine period, try to avoid self medication without doctor’s advice. Though venturing out is not an immediate option, first talk to your family doctor and take his or her advice.
8.18 Important Contact Numbers : On a normal day, you may simply go to a nearby store. But during the quarantine time each our external visit shall be seen as an exposure to risk of contracting COVID. Hence keep a list of all the phone numbers such as your family doctor, medical store, grocery store, utilities etc.
8.19 How Long on Self-Quarantine : The spread of COVID is at different levels at different parts of the world, so you are advised to follow your national and local government orders and make a suitable decision on how long to be on self-quarantine for yourself and your family.
8.20 Employment : During this period of self-quarantine, please ensure that you are in touch with your colleagues and manager of your company and keep updating them about the progress of work and don’t hesitate to take any help from your colleagues and company.

Note: Right-click and select “Open image in new tab” to view a larger image.

9.0 References

9.1 World Health Organisation (WHO)
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1 

9.2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/get-your-household-ready-for-COVID-19.html

9.3 How to Quarantine Yourself
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/06/health/self-quarantine-coronavirus.html

9.4 Self-Quarantine Guide, Queensland Government
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/take-action/self-quarantine

9.5 How to Manage Anxiety and Isolation During Quarantine
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/covid-19-lockdown-guide-how-manage-anxiety-and

9.6 Why we touch our faces and how to stop it
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-51879695/coronavirus-why-we-touch-our-faces-and-how-to-stop-it

9.7 Stay Physically Active During Self-Quarantine
http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-technical-guidance/stay-physically-active-during-self-quarantine

Keywords: sop, manual, policy, sop meaning, sop full form, standard operating procedure, full sop, user manual, sop is, user guide, instruction manual, owners manual, sample sop, operators manual, sop example,standard operating procedure examples, abbreviation sop, standard operating procedure sample, milk sop, sop document, sop process,m manual, operating procedures, operating process, sop meaning in hindi, standard procedure, sop standard operating procedure, sop top, sop writing, standard operating procedures manual, sop meaning in english, sample sop for mba, standard operating procedures examples in office, product manual, sample sop for ms, maintenance manual, sop security, sop in research, sop in business, whats sop, standard of operation, sop set, sop procedure, sop marketing,sop training, sop hotel, sop, sop meaning business, sop form, sba sop,sop software, help manual, sop it, army sop, company sop, sop sap, o m manual, standard operating procedure examples for small business, shop manual, sop manual, sop meaning in business, purpose of standard operating procedures, sop full meaning, standard operating procedure meaning, sop military, sop standard, sop meaning medical, hr sop, sop production, purpose of sop, sop management, warehouse sop, sales sop, sop pharma, sop manufacturing, sop creation, sop laboratory, ms sop, sop full form in hindi, sop front office, sop customer service, sop online, gmp sop, sop purchasing, sop pharmacy, sop safety, sop for project management,sample sop for australian student visa, sop meaning in tamil, sop system, best sop, sop up, sop in english, sop for mechanical engineering, sop for university,sop in malay, sop lab, sop for business analytics, sop model, sop in pharmacy, developing sops, standard operating procedure examples manufacturing, sop full form in retail,sop full form in medical, sop engineering, sop application, writing standard operating procedures, procurement sop, sop maintenance,standard operating procedure nhs, sop clinical trial, sop operations,sop in construction, operating procedures manual, standard operating procedure ppt, standard procedure meaning, sop ppt, a sop, sop document meaning, sop def, sop full form in safety, sop quality control, sop for college, sop quality, sop service, types of sop, sop for engineering management, sop document sample, benefit of sop, preparing sop, standard operating procedure in hindi, sop for visa, sop compliance, sop protocol, sop aviation, sop meaning in chat, standard operating process, sop meaning military, sop for business management, standard operating procedure software, sop list, sop medical, sop logistics, sop project, sop for it department, sop call center, standard work procedures, sba sop 50 10, sop meaning in logistics, standard operating procedure laboratory, test sop, sop sample for ms, drafting sop, sops meaning in tamil, sops meaning in telugu, sop automotive, standard operating system, sop cafe, sop slideshare, sop ap, sop bank, sop in retail, creating standard operating procedures, sop admin, document control sop, pharmaceutical sop,sop in pharmaceutical industry, statement of purpose harvard, sop examples for ms, quality assurance sop, sop in clinical research, nursing sop, sop for transportation, sop policies, sops are specific to a process, sop in hindi, standard operating procedure for warehouse picking, master sop, list of sop for pharma, pharmaceutical sop examples, types of standard operating procedures, retail sop, sample sop for ms in mechanical engineering, standard operating protocol,sop supply chain, system operating procedure, sop rules, example of sop in research, sop in food industry, sop for international business management, sop for hospitality management, sop for hr department, army sop example, sop standard operating, office sop, hr standard operating procedures, preventive maintenance sop, sop for purchase department, human resources sop, fire department sops, information technology sop, operating procedure example, administration sop,sop for retail store, indian sop, construction management sop, sop hotel front office, example sop document, standard and procedures,working sop, sop for maintenance department, sop hrd department,sop full form in hotel industry, sop full, sop for human resource management, laboratory sop examples, standard operating procedure for quality control, sop for ms in mechanical engineering, sop meaning army, security standard operating procedures, sop machine, sample sop for internship, sop for hotel management, sample sop for masters, qa sop, developing standard operating procedures, standard operating procedure document, product recall sop, marketing statement of purpose, it standard operating procedures, equipment sop, sop purpose example, sop shipping, sop for sales and marketing,converting pos to sop, workshop sop, standard operating procedure manufacturing, digital marketing standard operating procedures, following standard operating procedures, sop ki full form, sop for nursing procedures, an sop, purchase sop for manufacturing company, sop a, statement of purpose for mba marketing, full meaning of sop, sop for research internship, research sop sample,vendor qualification sop, sop purchasing and receiving, sop meaning in visa, sop for admission, standard operating procedure medical office, sop in industry, sop sales marketing, navy sop, project management standard operating procedures, sop it support, standard operating manual, security operating procedures, statement of purpose for international business, procurement standard operating procedures, communication sop, sop full form in pharma, minimum sop, sop health and safety, product sop, sop for marketing department, sop in medical terms, sales standard operating procedure, sop purchase order, department sop, customer service standard operating procedures, clinical sop, marketing standard operating procedure, sop standard operating procedure example, construction standard operating procedures, standard of operations procedures manual sample, sop for facility management, sop full form in education, standard operating procedure in food industry, visa sop,sop for business administration, company sop meaning, sop work, sop operating procedure, sop for summer internship in engineering sample, general administration sop, sop for administrative duties.