Department of Homeland Security Offers Isolation and Quarantine of Rural America Training Course

With the return of COVID hysteria, it looks like the federal government is ramping up efforts to deal with rural Americans who haven’t gone along with their year and half long fear campaign.

This week we learned that the Center for Rural Development, a DHS/ FEMA training provider, has launched a training program to teach “emergency management” professionals how to plan for “situations requiring the isolation and quarantine (I&Q) of a large portion of a local, rural population.”

The course description, which van be viewed at ruraltraining.org/course/mgt-433/ describes how the “training will provide public- and private-sector emergency managers, community policy makers, public health, and public safety personnel with the general knowledge necessary to begin planning for situations requiring the isolation and quarantine of a large portion of a local, rural population.”

“The course consists of five modules applicable to a variety of isolation and quarantine responders, including responders from public health, public safety, and the private sector. The course explores isolation and quarantine in a modern context; discusses legal and ethical issues associated with isolation and quarantine; and looks at the roles and responsibilities of public health, public safety, and private-sector stakeholders during an isolation and quarantine incident. In fact, the presence of participants from all three sectors will encourage information sharing and cross-sector cooperation.”

Course Description

This course functions as an instructor-led course. It is made up of a course overview along with five modules that describe key concepts of I&Q in rural communities.

Module One: An Introduction to Isolation and Quarantine

This module focuses on the difference between isolation and quarantine and the different intervention measures for each. Quarantinable diseases as well as isolation and quarantine triggers and challenges faced by rural communities will also be reviewed.

Module Two: Legal and Ethical Issues of Isolation and Quarantine

This module focuses on the legal and ethical considerations of isolation and quarantine. The federal, state, and local government legal authorities regarding isolation and quarantine responses will be covered. Due process of law regarding isolation and quarantine will also be reviewed.

Module Three: Roles and Responsibilities During an Isolation and Quarantine Incident

This module focuses on the roles and responsibilities of the whole community regarding isolation and quarantine planning and response including the role of state and federal stakeholders. The importance of effective communication strategies that are critical to a successful isolation and quarantine incident outcome are also addressed.

Module Four: Communication Strategies for Isolation and Quarantine Response

This module focuses on communication structures and strategies to be implemented in the event of a public health emergency requiring isolation and quarantine.

Module Five: Isolation and Quarantine Emergency Response Activity

This module focuses on the roles and responsibilities of public health, public safety, private sector, and volunteer organizations in the whole community response to an isolation and quarantine incident while emphasizing the necessity for planning, communicating, and responding effectively and efficiently to the incident.