Home during quarantine: living space weaknesses revealed by COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Without effective treatments for the infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, governments were forced to apply non-pharmaceutical preventive measures, including lockdowns and quarantines, which exposed residential spaces to extreme conditions. The aim of this research was to verify how COVID-19 quarantines have changed functioning of living spaces and their readiness to accept such changes. The literature review provided an overview of the major weaknesses of home during quarantine identified by research studies: insufficient sanitary protection, insufficient house size, overcrowded houses, insufficient daylight, improper air quality, thermal discomfort, poor acoustics, lack of ergonomics, excessive consumption of resources, nature disconnection, digital disconnection and violated privacy. Identified weaknesses exposed socio-economic stratification of households. Quarantine posed the most significant challenge for vulnerable households occupying low-quality homes. It showed how privileged are access to daylight, nature, or the Internet during lockdowns.