What term describes a building or area where people suspected of carrying a contagious illness are kept to prevent infection of others?

• A. Quarantine Station
• B. Isolation Center
• C. Containment Facility
• D. Health Quarters

Answer: (A)

Quarantine is the practice of separating people who might have been exposed to a contagious disease but aren’t yet sick, to prevent possible spread. A building or area used to hold those who are suspected of carrying an illness to prevent infection of others fits this idea, so it is described as a quarantine station. This differs from isolation, which is for people who are already known to be infected and need to be kept apart to stop them from transmitting the illness. The other terms aren’t the standard labels for this preventive separation—an isolation center is for the sick, while containment facility and health quarters aren’t the typical terms used in this context.