Have you ever been to a hospital? Have you ever been very sick and had to stay at home? Have you seen doctors and nurses wear gloves and masks?
Some diseases and infections are very contagious. Contagious means that the people that are not sick can get sick if they are around the sick person. The sick person may have a germ or virus that the healthy person will get if the healthy person gets close to him. The germ or virus may be on anything in the room of the sick person. The sick person is kept in one hospital room. Or the person may be told to stay inside his own home. This is known as putting someone in isolation.
So doctors and nurses may wear gloves to keep from getting the germ or virus on their hands. They throw the gloves away when they leave the room. The doctors and nurses may wear a mask to keep from breathing the germ or virus. Sometimes it is necessary for the sick person to wear the mask to keep from breathing the virus or germ on other people.
Germs and viruses were not discovered until about the last one hundred years. Before that time people did not have the technology to see them or find them.
But in the Bible God gave instructions to the Israelites that helped keep them from getting sick. In Leviticus 13:1-14:57, there are many instructions regarding keeping someone in isolation to be observed for a contagious disease. Once a person was known to have a contagious disease, he was put outside the camp until he was well. He was required to wear a covering over his mouth and warn others to stay away from him.
God could tell the Israelites these things because he created the whole universe. He knows everything there is to know. And he wants the best for those who follow him. He always gives instructions that are the best for us.
Study your Bible. Learn what you need to do to obey God. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
