The concept of quarantine has been with us constantly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Yet many people still don’t realise how they have to behave once it is imposed. Quarantine is no joke: failing to comply with it can land you a fine. Dog owners have the biggest doubts about following the quarantine rules, as they don’t know whether they can take their dog out for a walk. What should they do in this situation?
Almost 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic
The pandemic of COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, began as an epidemic on 17 November 2019 in the city of Wuhan, China. On 11 March 2020 it was declared a pandemic by the WHO. In Poland, the first infections were recorded from 4 March 2020.
So far, the symptoms of coronavirus infection have mainly been fever, cough and shortness of breath. In severe cases of the disease, complications could occur. Those particularly at risk of a severe course of the disease are above all older people and people with cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases and diabetes.
At the start of the pandemic, strict restrictions were in force and a global lockdown was introduced, with a ban on leaving home. There were no vaccines, many people fell ill and many feared for their health.
Now, almost 2 years later, we have access to vaccines as well as greater immunity to the coronavirus. However, newer variants keep appearing, which means precautions still need to be taken at all times. People who may be carriers of the virus or have been exposed to contact with an infected person are placed in quarantine.
When does quarantine apply?
Quarantine is imposed on healthy people who have been exposed to coronavirus infection, e.g. through contact with an infected person. According to the rules, it should last 10 days, but in some cases the period is extended, for example when a member of your household falls ill.
Quarantine begins at the moment the sanitary inspection authority contacts the person who was exposed to infection. They are informed of the duration of the quarantine and their details are entered into the EWP system.
Who is subject to quarantine?
People who live with someone infected with the coronavirus are obliged to quarantine.
People who have been referred for a coronavirus test. In this case, the quarantine runs from the day the referral is received until a negative test result is obtained, which automatically releases them from quarantine.
People who have had close contact with an infected person are also subject to quarantine.
Certain categories of foreign nationals who have crossed the border of the Republic of Poland where it forms the external border of the European Union.
Who is not subject to quarantine?
The following are not subject to quarantine:
- people living with a person who is in quarantine,
- people living with or sharing a household with a person who has been referred for a test, while the test result is awaited. Only once the tested person receives a positive result does their quarantine turn into isolation, and the household members are then placed in quarantine,
- people who have completed hospitalisation, isolation or isolation at home,
- people involved in providing healthcare to those who have fallen ill with the coronavirus, provided they are tested daily.
- fully vaccinated people holding a certificate, i.e. 14 days after completing the full vaccination process.
How to behave during quarantine?
A person placed in quarantine must act responsibly and absolutely stay at home, even if they have not yet received official notice of the quarantine and they feel well.
The rules to follow are:
- do not leave your place of residence,
- no walking the dog, going to the shop, the doctor, etc.,
- if symptoms of the disease appear, you must contact your GP,
- follow the instructions of your doctor, the sanitary inspectorate (Sanepid) and other services,
- cooperate with the services, including Sanepid and the police, who check that the quarantined person is staying at their place of residence,
- install the mandatory Home Quarantine (Kwarantanna domowa) app.
What are the consequences of breaking quarantine?
Compliance with home quarantine conditions is monitored by the State Sanitary Inspection authorities, as well as the Police, the Border Guard, the Military Police and the Territorial Defence Forces.
For breaking quarantine, the law provides for a financial penalty of up to PLN 30,000. The decision on the amount of the fine is always individual and depends on the situation.
Quarantine vs isolation: what are the differences?
Quarantine is a so-called transitional period for people awaiting the result of an antigen test. It involves isolating a healthy person who has been exposed to coronavirus infection. After a positive result, quarantine turns into isolation, which:
- for people with symptoms ends 3 days after the symptoms subside, and lasts no less than 13 days from the onset of symptoms,
- for people without symptoms lasts 10 days, counted from the positive result, not including the preceding quarantine.
Quarantine and your dog
Dog owners can’t imagine spending quarantine without their pet. During this time, however, they can’t offer it what matters most to it: going out for a walk. A dog can stay at home with its owner for the duration of the quarantine, which can in fact be very comforting for someone who is ill.
It’s important, however, to be realistic about what you can manage, i.e. to be able to provide the dog with proper care. If you feel up to looking after your pet, you can keep it at home for the duration of the quarantine.
Walking the dog during quarantine
A person in quarantine or isolation is forbidden from leaving home under any circumstances. This also applies to walking the dog. In this situation, you can ask loved ones to look after your pet or place it in a pet hotel for the duration of the quarantine. On the government website you will also find contact details for help while you are in quarantine.
Remember, however, that you can’t hand your pet over to a third party “hand to hand”, because there is a risk of them catching the coronavirus through contact with you.
People who live in houses with a garden have it much easier: in their case, the dog can be let outside to relieve itself on its own. Bear in mind, though, that not every pet will be happy with this kind of walk. Some dogs need more stimulation. You can make time in the garden more fun by throwing a ball or a frisbee, and indoors you can work on teaching new tricks. These are great ways to burn off your pet’s energy, keep it entertained and at least partly satisfy its canine needs.
How to handle looking after someone’s dog?
If you have been asked to look after a dog by someone in quarantine and you want to do the job as well as possible, remember that you must not hand the pet over to each other with any physical contact.
What you can do instead is agree that at a set time you will wait for the dog in the stairwell or outside the building, without meeting the quarantined person. You can arrange this by phone, text message or messaging apps.
After the walk, do the same thing in reverse: let the owner know you are outside the building and let the dog into the stairwell.
Do dogs transmit the coronavirus?
Dogs don’t transmit the disease, so you won’t catch it on a walk. The coronavirus doesn’t multiply in a dog’s body, but that doesn’t change the fact that you should observe proper hygiene when in contact with the animal: avoid letting it lick your face, and wash your hands thoroughly after playing together.
And if you’re worried about accessories such as the leash, collar or poo bags, collect them from the pet’s owner first, disinfect them thoroughly and keep them at your place. Return the pet to its owner without the leash, collar and other essential accessories. Use gloves and disinfectants to minimise the risk of catching the coronavirus.
I don’t know anyone who could walk my dog
Online you’ll find plenty of support groups offering help with dog care for pet owners who have been placed in quarantine. Remember that if a stranger is going to look after your dog, they should find out as much as possible about it.
- Tell them about your pet’s current vaccinations; you can take a photo of its vaccination record.
- Tell them about any mobility problems, allergies or other health issues.
- Describe your dog’s behaviour and habits: how it behaves towards other animals and people, whether it is afraid of anything and how to respond to its fear.
- Tell them about the things it particularly dislikes and the things it really loves.
- Let them know whether it causes problems on walks and how to build a good relationship with it.
A dog owner in quarantine is obliged to stay at home, which means no walks with their pet.
In this situation you need other people who will take on the care of your pet. Don’t be afraid to accept help, even from strangers who are happy to look after your dog.
Remember to follow the quarantine rules and look after the safety of those who will care for your pet: avoid direct contact, follow hygiene and disinfection rules, and pass on all the most important information to your dog’s carer.
For pet owners, we recommend our other articles:
- Travelling by train with a dog
- Why do cats hide?
- Starter kit for a cat
- I’ve found a dog/cat. What should I do?
