(CNN) — It’s hard to remember a time when quarantine wasn’t a regular part of our vocabulary, yet, for most of us, it was only six months ago that we’d rarely heard the word used or spoken it aloud — outside of describing a scene from an historical novel or a Hulu show.

Thanks to the pandemic, however, quarantine is not only a common household word, it’s also a dismal reality for thousands of people returning to their home countries or dipping a toe in international travel.

As entire nations grapple with curbing the spread of Covid-19, many have implemented strict measures to keep their homelands and their residents and visitors safe.

Mandatory quarantines are one way of doing this.