In New Jersey, a licensed Health Officer has the authority to establish quarantine measures as necessary to control the spread of disease (NJAC 8:57-1.11).
Due to the availability of effective vaccines and antibiotic medication today, quarantine is a control measure that is not used as frequently as it was when vaccines and medications did not exist to control the spread of disease in a community. In certain circumstances, public health authorities will use the quarantine to protect the community's health. For example, between the years 2012-2014, the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health ordered for the quarantine of 14 residents due to measles exposure. The residents were not vaccinated against measles and were susceptible to a highly communicable disease. Since full vaccination against measles is not complete until age 5, the quarantined individuals could have spread illness to under-vaccinated children in the community. The quarantines were effective as there was zero disease transmission to the community.