During major infectious disease outbreaks like the current Covid 19, quarantine can be a necessary preventive measure. However, this quarantine is often associated with a negative psychological effect. During the period of quarantine this negative psychological effect is unsurprising, yet the evidence that a psychological effect of quarantine can still be detected months or years later albeit on a small number of cases is more troubling and suggests the need to ensure that effective mitigation measures are put in place as part of the quarantine planning process. The measures that can help include: Keep it as short as possible Longer quarantine is associated with poorer psychological outcomes, perhaps unsurprisingly, as it stands to reason that the stressors reported by participants could have more of an effect the longer they were experienced for. Restricting the length of quarantine to what is scientifically reasonable given the known duration of incubation periods, will minimise the effect on people. The importance of authorities adhering to their own recommended length of quarantine, and not extending it cannot be overemphasized. For people already in quarantine, an extension, no matter how small, is likely to exacerbate any sense of frustration or demoralisation. Further imposing a cordon indefinitely on whole cities with no clear time limit might be more detrimental than strictly applied quarantine procedures limited to the period of incubation. Give people as much information as possible People who are quarantined often feared being infected or infecting others. They also often have catastrophic appraisals of any physical symptoms experienced during the quarantine period. This fear is a common occurrence for people exposed to any worrying infectious disease, and might be exacerbated by the often-inadequate information participants are receiving from public health officials, leaving them unclear of the nature of the risks they faced and why they were being quarantined at all. Ensuring that those under quarantine have a good understanding of the disease in question, and the reasons for quarantine, should be a priority. Provide adequate supplies The government also needs to ensure that quarantined households have enough supplies for their basic needs and, importantly, these must be provided as rapidly as possible. Coordination for provision of supplies should ideally be done in advance, with planning and reallocation plans established to ensure resources do not run out. Reduce the boredom and improve the communication Boredom and isolation will cause distress to people who are quarantined and they should be advised about what they can do to stave off boredom and provided with practical advice on coping and stress management techniques. Having a working mobile phone is now a necessity, not a luxury, and those stepping off a long flight to enter quarantine will probably appreciate being given a charger or adaptor more than anything else. Activating your social network, albeit remotely, is not just a key priority, but an inability to do so is associated not just with immediate anxiety, but longer- term distress. The ability to communicate with one’s family and friends is essential and pparticularly, social media can play an important part in communication with those far away, allowing people who are quarantined to update their loved ones about their situation and reassure them that they are well. WiFi networks with internet access to allow them to communicate directly with loved ones could reduce feelings of isolation, stress, and panic. It is also important that public health officials maintain clear lines of communication with people quarantined about what to do if they experience any symptoms. A phone line or online service specifically set up for those in quarantine and staffed by health-care workers who can provide instructions about what to do in the event of developing illness symptoms, would help reassure people that they will be cared for if they become ill. This service would show those who are quarantined that they have not been forgotten and that their health needs are just as important as those of the wider public. Health-care workers deserve special attention Health-care workers themselves are often quarantined and they, like the general public, are negatively affected by stigmatising attitudes from others. It is also possible that health-care workers who are quarantined might be concerned about causing their workplaces to be understaffed and causing extra work for their colleagues and that their colleagues’ perceptions could be particularly important. Being separated from a team they are used to working in close contact with might add to feelings of isolation for health-care workers who are quarantined. Therefore, it is essential that they feel supported by their immediate colleagues. During infectious disease outbreaks, organisational support has been found to be protective of mental health for healthcare staff in general and managers should take steps to ensure their staff members are supportive of their colleagues who are quarantined. Conclusion Overall, the psychological impact of quarantine is wide-ranging, substantial, and can be long lasting. This is not to suggest that quarantine should not be used; the psychological effects of not using quarantine and allowing disease to spread might be worse. However, depriving people of their liberty for the wider public good is often contentious and needs to be handled carefully. If quarantine is essential, then our results suggest that officials should take every measure to ensure that this experience is as tolerable as possible for people. This can be achieved by: telling people what is happening and why, explaining how long it will continue, providing meaningful activities for them to do while in quarantine, providing clear communication, ensuring basic supplies (such as food, water, and medical supplies) are available, and reinforcing the sense of altruism that people should, rightly, be feeling.