People who have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, or have become infected with it, need to quarantine or isolate from others so that they don’t spread the disease to others. However, staying away from others for weeks at a time is difficult for many people.  This seminar addresses how US state and local public health leaders can better organize wraparound services so people can successfully complete periods of isolation or quarantine. Specifically, it will cover the types of services typically needed, how to organize support programs, how to budget for them, and the costs of inaction.

The seminar was co-hosted by the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, the National Governors Association, Harvard Medical School’s Program in Global Public Policy and Social Change, and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

The seminar addresses: 

- How quarantine and isolation practices can help stem the COVID crisis

- What services people need in order to successfully complete periods of quarantine and isolation

- How providing services to people in quarantine and isolation can address inequities in COVID response

- What types of quarantine and isolation support programs already exist and what we have learned from them

Estimating the costs of wraparound quarantine and isolation services programs versus the costs of inaction.