A cornerstone of public health, the quarantine service at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can trace its roots to the founding of the United States and to a Venetian practice that began in the 1300s. Quarantine remains a living legacy in the modern era for global health security.
Port health stations previously were known as quarantine stations. The practice of quarantine, which began hundreds of years ago, has evolved over time. Although we honor the history of quarantine and continue to carry out CDC’s public health authorities—including using federal quarantine or isolation, if needed—port health is broader than the name “quarantine” and reflects our goal of keeping travelers and destination communities safe.
This video can also be viewed at
https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/video/Q-Legacy-low-res.wmv