How to Form (and Maintain) Your “Quaranteam”
Original image by Helena Lopes from Pexels.
Humans are social animals, and at some point (now, or soon) we’re going to abandon our isolation for some bonding with others. Here’s how to make, and keep, a “social bubble” to utilize during the pandemic.
1. Determine numbers.
A quaranteam should consist of your immediate family unit and one or two other family units or friends, totaling no more than ten people. Be cautious in including those over 70, or those with underlying health conditions that might make them more vulnerable to the virus.
2. Agree on test status.
Each member of your quaranteam must abide by a strict set of safety protocols. For example, if the group (family, friends, neighbors) agrees to form a team, you may want each member to have had a negative COVID blood test within the previous two weeks. Conversely, you might prefer that each member have a positive antibody test, showing previous exposure to the virus (and presumably some level of immunity).
3. Discuss safety measures.
While you probably won’t be temperature gunning each group member before meeting up, you should agree that if any member of the quaranteam feels ill, for any reason, they cannot join the group for at least ten days. This is for the group’s health and safety. Also, discuss rules for contact with strangers (below).
4. Keep a diary of movements.
If you haven’t left the house for weeks and have no symptoms, you’re not ill with COVID. However, because it’s possible to pass the virus to others without actually showing symptoms, you should keep a record of each time you leave the house, and how close you got to strangers. While outdoor transmission is unlikely, if you entered a store or other establishment, you should make a note of where you went, and when. Inform your team.
5. Use caution during meetups.
You may choose not to wear masks with your team, but it’s still good practice to meet outside, if possible. Do not share food.
6. Maintain control.
People on the team may be tempted to add new members to the group. Keep in mind that each new member may potentially come into contact with many other people, thereby increasing the group’s risk exponentially. Ten people, more or less, should be your goal.
Pro Tip
While it may seem safe, intuitively, to join two healthy quaranteams together, this should not be attempted: the risks of cross contagion are too great.