Quarantines are measures taken to protect public health by isolating people or places that may be infected with a contagious disease. The term 'QUARANTINE' comes from the Italian word for forty, referring to the 40-day period of isolation imposed during the 14th century. The crossword solutions ENISLES (7 letters) and ISOLATES (8 letters) both refer to the act of quarantining, which is the practice of separating and restricting the movement of people who have been exposed to a contagious disease to prevent its spread.