What happens to people who break a coronavirus quarantine? Penalties could be severe

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, people who have already been diagnosed with the virus or with high risk of COVID-19 are being asked to self-quarantine.



Health officials and doctors can ask those who’ve been exposed to the virus or someone with the virus to self-quarantine for usually two weeks, according to Today.



If you live at home, that means staying away from family members.

“When you leave the room, you want to take a surgical mask, ideally, and put that on your face,” Dr. Eric Cioe-Pena, the Global Director of Health for Northwell Health told Today. “It will limit your exposure to other people and other surfaces, outside of your room, to particles that when you cough or sneeze and limit your risk of transmitting to other household members.”



While being asked to self-quarantine is a request, quarantine and isolation orders can be enforced by law, according to Business Insider.

“Public health authorities at the federal, state, local, and tribal levels may sometimes seek help from police or other law enforcement officers to enforce a public health order,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

And there could be harsh penalties, depending on the state.



A Missouri man was told he would be required to be quarantined “by the force of law” after he was accused of ignoring the order by officials, according to USA Today.

Officials said the man with the presumptive positive case of coronavirus violated the quarantine order to attend a school event.

According to Wisconsin state law, people who violate a quarantine could be fined up to $10,000 or jailed up to nine months, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.



Quarantine is different than isolation, which separates people with the virus using a barrier, according to NBC News. Coronavirus patients are kept in a “negative pressure room” to stop germs from escaping, the outlet reported.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 3:26 PM with the headline "What happens to people who break a coronavirus quarantine? Penalties could be severe."