During the past few years, people around the world have become accustomed to various quarantine classifications imposed by their respective governments. In the Philippine, terms like Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Extreme Enhanced Community Quarantine (EECQ), Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), and General Community Quarantine (GCQ) have become familiar headlines during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. These terms can evoke horror and fear for many because they signify days, if not weeks, of isolation and restrictions on leaving their homes.

While these measures may seem strict and draconian, quarantines have been the first line of defense for nations and societies for centuries in the face of invisible enemies that cause death and suffering. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, quarantine is defined as the separation and restriction of travel for humans or animals that may have come into contact with an infectious disease. In 2020, we witnessed heavily guarded borders between towns, cities, and provinces, with military and local police forces prohibiting easy passage without relevant documents or permission. Individuals suspected of coming into contact with COVID-19 positive patients were required to quarantine themselves, limiting their movements to curb the spread of the virus. During this time, the once bustling streets and sidewalks of Metro Manila and other cosmopolitan cities became quiet and devoid of life. News of increasing deaths and videos of mass burials served as morbid reminders of humanity’s vulnerability to a potent virus capable of claiming millions of lives. Restricting movement reduces the risk of widespread outbreaks, making quarantine one of the most effective ways to combat the rise of infections.

FIRST RECORDS
One of the oldest recorded instances of quarantine is found among the Jews. According to the Torah, their holy scripture, anyone infected with leprosy was called to “dwell apart, taking up residence outside the camp” (Leviticus 13:46, New American Bible Revised Edition). People with leprosy were considered unclean and were punished by God, making them unworthy of mingling with others.

Nearly five hundred years after the birth of Christ, a plague spread in Constantinople, a mighty city of the Byzantine Empire serving as a crossroad of various civilizations and a meeting place for different cultures from the East and the West. Due to the high volume of people and goods passing through the city, it was susceptible to outbreaks. During the time of Emperor Justinian, a plague broke out, prompting him to enforce a form of quarantine in Constantinople. While it was ostensibly intended to prevent the spread of the disease, historians argue that his primary intention was to prohibit the movement of non-Christians, falsely accusing them of spreading the plague. However, modern-day scholars suggest that the practice was ultimately ineffective, as approximately 40% of Constantinople’s population perished.

FORTY DAYS OF ISOLATION
Another historically significant event that employed quarantine was the Black Plague, estimated to have killed around 200 million people in Europe and Asia. To control the spread of the infection, coastal communities in Sicily and Venice ordered ships arriving from Asia to dock in port for forty days, a practice known in Italian as “quaranta giorni.” This phrase gave rise to the term quarantine. Although it remains unclear why forty days was chosen, Eugenia Tognotti, in her article published in the Emerging Infectious Disease Journal, suggests that it may have been inspired by Jesus’ isolation in the desert for forty days.

One of the most severe pandemics in history was the 1918 Spanish Influenza. Unlike our current experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, no vaccine was available at that time to mitigate the viral spread among the masses. Governments heavily relied on non-pharmaceutical interventions, including quarantine. Nancy Tomes, in her article published in the Public Health Rep, mentioned that during the spread of the Spanish Influenza in the United States, city governments ordered the closure or quarantine of schools and homes in case of suspected infections. Additionally, like the Italian cities before them, federal authorities also quarantined ships arriving at American ports.

Quarantine is not a modern phenomenon or a recent invention. This practice has been utilized and refined throughout the ages as an effective way to control diseases—a classic example of restricting human movement to save human lives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people were physically separated but not socially isolated. A new avenue for societies to interact emerged—a digital world that connected people from various parts of the globe. We can be grateful that quarantine no longer lasts for forty days.