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Published on: Jan 29, 2022
2 minute read
By: Second Medic Expert

Understanding Quarantine

What Is Quarantine?

Quarantine is the segregation of people who are infected or suspected of being infected with a particular disease.

It is also the isolation of patients with communicable diseases to prevent their spread. The purpose of quarantine is to protect the public from exposure to potentially deadly diseases. Quarantine is for people who don’t have symptoms but who might have been exposed to the coronavirus. The idea is to keep you from unknowingly infecting others.

Who Needs to Quarantine?

You probably don't need to quarantine yourself, but if you are close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus or just got back from a country where this deadly virus is spreading then it's best that we keep our distance until things calm down.

The reason for this is twofold. First, it's important to prevent the spread of the virus. Secondly, it's important to give those who are an infected time to recover without exposing others to the virus.

There are also a few other groups of people who may need to consider quarantining themselves, such as healthcare workers and those who work with livestock. Anyone who’s been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19 should self-quarantine, even if you’ve had the virus before.

“Close contact” means you did one or more of these things:

Were within 6 feet of the person for at least 15 minutes
Cared for the person at home
Touched, hugged, or kissed them
Shared eating or drinking utensils with them
Got droplets on you when they sneezed or coughed

According to the CDC, you’ll need to quarantine:

If You’re 18 or older and have completed the primary series of the recommended vaccines. But you have not received a recommended booster shot after you became eligible.
If You received the vaccine over 2 months ago but haven’t received the recommended booster shot.
If You’re not vaccinated or haven’t yet completed your first full round of vaccines.

You don’t need to quarantine:

If You’re 18 or older and have received all recommended vaccine doses, including boosters and additional shots recommended for immunocompromised people.
If You’re 5-17 years old and completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.
You had COVID-19 within the last 90 days. This should have been confirmed using a viral test.

However, if you were exposed to someone who tested positive, wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days after exposure.

How to Quarantine at Home

There are a few simple steps you can take to quarantine at home:

1.Sanitize your environment - Make sure to clean all surfaces and objects in your home that may have meet the disease. You can use a disinfectant or bleach solution to do this.

2.Isolate yourself - You should isolate yourself from other people in your home and avoid contact with anyone who may be infected.

3.Monitor your symptoms - Be on the lookout for any symptoms of the disease and report them immediately to your doctor.

4.Stay hydrated - Make sure to drink plenty of fluids to help keep your body healthy and fight off any potential infections.

How Long Does Quarantine Last?

Stay home for at least 5 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19. Wear masks when around others so that you do not pass on the infection to them!

For 10 days after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19, watch for fever (100.4 F or higher), cough, shortness of breath, or other COVID-19 symptoms.

If you develop symptoms, get tested immediately and isolate until you receive your results. If you test positive, follow isolation recommendations below.

If you don't develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after your last exposure. Positive tests allow for limited movement in and out of homes but continue wearing protective gear around others until 10 more are complete."

If you test positive for COVID-19, isolation is necessary. The recommended period of time without contact should be at least 5 days from the date that your symptoms began and may also need to extend beyond 10 if they continue after this length time has passed; however, it’s important not make assumptions about how long an individual will remain infected before developing others signs/symptoms because everyone's situation varies!

When you get the new coronavirus, your quarantine lasts five days because that’s how long it takes to know if you have symptoms. If there are no signs of illness after this time period has passed then treatments for virus should be considered over with just one quick visit from our doctors!

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How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Patient Care in India

As a clinician working closely with patients across urban clinics and remote teleconsultation setups, I have seen firsthand how delayed diagnosis, fragmented follow-up, and specialist shortages affect outcomes in India. Artificial intelligence is not a futuristic concept in Indian healthcare anymore. It is actively reshaping how we diagnose diseases, monitor patients, and prevent complications.

AI, when used responsibly under clinical supervision, is becoming a critical support system for doctors and a powerful safety net for patients navigating a complex healthcare ecosystem.

Why India’s Healthcare System Needs AI

India’s healthcare challenges are deeply structural. A large population burdened by lifestyle diseases, combined with uneven access to medical expertise, creates gaps that traditional systems struggle to bridge.

In daily practice, we increasingly see patients presenting late with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or cancer. Many ask a simple but important question: why was this not detected earlier? The answer often lies in limited screening, overloaded clinicians, and lack of continuous monitoring.

Chronic conditions dominating Indian clinics today include:

Diabetes affecting over 100 million individuals.
Hypertension rising even among young adults.
Cardiovascular disease driven by late detection.
Increasing cancer incidence with delayed diagnosis.

AI matters here because it supports earlier identification of risk patterns, reduces diagnostic delays, and allows clinicians to focus on decision-making rather than data overload.

How AI Is Changing Medical Diagnosis

One common concern patients raise during consultations is whether AI can truly diagnose diseases accurately. In practice, AI does not replace a doctor. It acts as a high-speed analytical assistant.

AI in Imaging and Diagnostics

AI systems can rapidly analyse:

X-rays and CT scans.
MRI images.
Mammograms.
Pathology slides.
Cardiac and neurological imaging.

These tools flag abnormalities within seconds, allowing doctors to prioritise critical findings. Clinical studies published in peer-reviewed journals have shown that AI models can match specialist-level accuracy for specific imaging tasks when used correctly.

From a physician’s perspective, the real benefit is not speed alone. It is consistency. AI reduces the risk of missed findings during high-volume diagnostic workflows, especially in resource-constrained settings.

Can AI Monitor Patients Outside Hospitals

Patients managing chronic illness often ask whether technology can help them avoid repeated hospital visits. AI-enabled remote monitoring is one of the most meaningful advances in this area.

AI-Supported Remote Patient Monitoring

AI continuously evaluates trends in:

Blood pressure.
Heart rate variability.
Blood glucose patterns.
Oxygen saturation.
Physical activity and sleep quality.

Rather than reacting to a single abnormal value, AI identifies worsening trends over time. Clinically, this allows early intervention before complications escalate.

Evidence from global health system studies shows that continuous monitoring can significantly reduce avoidable hospital admissions, particularly for diabetes, heart disease, and elderly patients.

Using AI to Predict and Prevent Chronic Diseases

Preventive healthcare remains underdeveloped in India. Most patients seek care after symptoms appear. AI helps shift this model.

By analysing medical history, lifestyle habits, vitals, and environmental factors, predictive models can estimate:

Future heart attack risk.
Progression of diabetes.
Decline in kidney function.
Stroke probability.
Asthma exacerbation triggers.

Patients often ask if AI can really prevent disease. Prevention here means early warnings. When risk patterns are detected early, doctors can adjust treatment plans, recommend lifestyle changes, and prevent irreversible damage.

Personalised Treatment in a Diverse Indian Population

Indian patients differ widely in genetics, diet, stress patterns, and cultural habits. Standardised treatment protocols often fall short.

AI supports personalised care by analysing:

Medication responses.
Dietary intake.
Blood markers.
Sleep and stress trends.
Coexisting medical conditions.

For example:

In diabetes care, AI helps personalise carbohydrate distribution and medication timing.
In hypertension, it identifies sodium sensitivity and stress-related spikes.
In hormonal conditions like PCOS, it aligns nutrition and activity with cycle patterns.

From a clinical standpoint, personalised insights improve adherence and reduce relapse rates.

AI-Enabled Telemedicine and Smarter Consultations

Telemedicine has become an essential part of care delivery in India. Patients frequently ask whether online consultations are as effective as in-person visits.

AI enhances telemedicine by:

Structuring symptom inputs before consultations.
Routing patients to the appropriate specialist.
Generating concise medical summaries for doctors.
Supporting follow-up reminders and medication adherence checks.

When used correctly, AI reduces diagnostic delays and improves consultation efficiency without compromising safety.

Expanding Healthcare Access Beyond Cities

A major question in public health is whether AI can truly improve rural healthcare access. In practice, it already is.

AI enables:

Remote diagnostics supported by portable devices.
Virtual specialist consultations for rural clinics.
Smartphone-based imaging and screening tools.
AI-guided triage in underserved regions.

By reducing dependence on physical proximity to specialists, AI helps bridge longstanding geographical barriers in India’s healthcare system.

Safety, Ethics, and the Role of Doctors in AI Care

Patients rightly express concern about safety, privacy, and over-reliance on technology. These concerns are valid.

Responsible AI use in healthcare requires:

Transparent algorithms.
Explicit patient consent.
High-quality, verified medical datasets.
Strict data privacy safeguards.
Continuous clinical supervision.

In ethical practice, AI outputs never replace medical judgment. Doctors remain accountable for decisions. Human-in-the-loop verification is essential to ensure patient safety and trust.

What This Transformation Means for Indian Patients

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing patient care in India by making healthcare more proactive, more precise, and more accessible. From early diagnosis to personalised treatment and continuous monitoring, AI empowers both patients and clinicians with data-backed clarity.

SecondMedic’s patient-first approach integrates AI as a clinical support system, not a replacement for doctors. By combining medical expertise with digital intelligence, the goal remains simple: better outcomes, earlier intervention, and care that adapts to each patient’s real-world needs.

As clinicians, our responsibility is to ensure that technology serves patients ethically and effectively. When used with care and oversight, AI has the potential to redefine healthcare delivery across India in a way that is inclusive, preventive, and sustainable.

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