COVID-19 has introduced new vocabulary and terms which some of us may not be very familiar with. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus. To protect ourselves from the virus, we can follow certain practices like frequently washing our hands with soap and avoid touching our face.
In writing this article, we hope that our Muslim readers will be more well-informed and get to know some of these terms better. Knowing some of the commonly used terms in this COVID-19 pandemic can be beneficial so that we can do our part to prevent the spread of the virus. As we become more familiar with these terms, hopefully we won't be lost when we watch or read the news regarding COVID-19.
Here are 10 terms you need to know to understand COVID-19!
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Recently, WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and some of you may be wondering what that means. Well, pandemic refers to the worldwide spread of a new disease. This means that the virus now affects a large number of people and has indeed spread across several countries or continents. This is why countries are scaling up measures to mitigate the spread of the disease as much as possible through several measures like travel restrictions for example.
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Now, this term has been commonly used by the media whenever they refer to measures taken to slow down the spread of the virus. To flatten the curve means slowing down the spread of the virus to ensure that the capacity of the healthcare system is not overwhelmed. The primary objective of governments and international institutions currently is to flatten the curve by enacting measures like social distancing to prevent further spread of the virus. Other measures also include the promotion of personal hygiene like washing your hands frequently as well as the closure of public spaces like schools and also the workplace.
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Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, are some of the many countries which have implemented the social distancing rule. But what does this term actually mean? Well, social distancing refers to measures that are taken to reduce contact between large groups of people. For example, in Singapore, safe distancing laws are in place where people have to sit or queue up at least 1m apart from another person. They are also not allowed to sit on taped chairs. Other social distancing measures also include spacing out employees in the work office so that they are seated further away from each other, as well as more serious measures like the closure of schools and workplaces to make way for home based learning and telecommunicating. The next time you go out to buy your daily groceries, remember to keep your distance away from another person!
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Self-quarantine should not be confused with self-isolation as the former refers to someone who might have potentially been exposed to COVID-19 and thus chooses to stay at home to separate themselves from others, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In doing so, they limit any form of movement with the public outside their residence, in order to prevent futher spread of the virus within the community.
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On the other hand, self-isolation is a measure that someone who is confirmed to be ill with the virus, or lives with someone who carries the virus, has to do to isolate themselves to prevent further spread of the virus. For example, according to NHS based in U.K., for those who have the virus symptoms and are self-isolating, they are not allowed to leave their residence or invite visitors over to their residence. For those living with someone who carry the virus or exhibit the symptioms, they have to self-isolate for 14 days starting from the time the symptoms start to occur. These are all done to prevent further spread of the virus.
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These two terms are written with reference to the Singapore context. Some of us may be confused and have mixed these two terms up but they are actually distinct measures.
Firstly, Leave of Absence (LOA) is a precautionary measure in which those who are issued this are advised to minimize contact with the community as much as possible for 14 days. However, those under the LOA are still able to go out to attend to important matters or buy essential goods, but they have to return home as soon as possible.
On the other hand, those placed under the Stay-Home-Notice (SHN) have to remain at their respective residence at all times during the 14-day period and are not allowed to leave their premises. They are also not allowed to invite visitors into their residence. Those placed under the SHN are encouraged to practice good hygiene and look out for any symptoms. The SHN is much stricter than the LOA in that there are punishments in place for non-compliance.
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A quarantine order is a strict form of isolation that is imposed to prevent the further spread of the disease. A quarantine order is issued to quarantine or isolate an individual who is, or is suspected to have been infected with COVID-19, or a contact of a person confirmed to have COVID-19, or have just returned from another country. This is done primarily to prevent further spread of the virus in the community. For example, in Malaysia as of 3 April 2020, those who had just returned from another country into Malaysia will be imposed a 14-day mandatory quarantine where they will be sent to designated government quarantine centres effective as of 3 April 2020.
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With COVID-19 becoming a global pandemic, many of us may face difficulties travelling. As the spread of the virus becomes worse, it becomes relatively unsafe to travel during this period. Some steps have been taken by governments all over the world to reduce travel by imposing travel restrictions around the world. Travel restrictions or ban around the world include temporary suspension of entry for all foreigners into the country as well as restriction for citizens to travel out of the country. These travel restrictions have been implemented by many countries in order to mitigate the spread of the virus as well as prevent further global spread. During this period, people are highly advised not to travel or to defer non-essential travel.
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Circuit Breaker is a term that is unique and introduced in the context of Singapore. For some Singaporeans, we may have heard of this term before but may not know its meaning fully. Basically, it is a set of safe distancing measures to significantly reduce the spread of COVID-19 by minimizing movements and interactions in the public and private spaces. This was introduced in Singapore in light of the increasing local transmission cases as well as the possibility of undetected cases within the community. Some measures undertaken to reduce the spread of COVID-19 include full home-based learning for schools, the closure of most workplaces, except the essential services, as well as the closure of recreation sites, attractions and places of worship. Most companies except for those considered essential services, have taken to telecommuting from home for work. During this period, citizens are encouraged to stay home and only leave their premises if they want to buy groceries or if there is an emergency.
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With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to increase, some governments have undertaken measures like the lockdown of their country to reduce the spread of the virus further. For some of you who are wondering what this term entails, it essentially is a government-imposed ban on movements within the country and a ban on overseas travel, as well as the closure of non-essential businesses. You may however leave your home to get essential items like groceries, or go to work but you have to maintain social distancing rules imposed. Failure to comply with lockdown measures may lead to punishment. Some countries that are under lockdown include France, U.K., Malaysia, India, and many more. 
So there you have it, 10 terms you need to know to understand COVID-19. With these 10 terms explained, we hope that our readers will be more well-informed and understand the news better. With that, we hope that our readers stay safe and stay at home. Remember to practice personal hygiene by washing your hands frequently. Also, remember to keep that distance away from someone when you go out to get essential household items. Together, we can do our part!
