Kentucky man, 53, who tested positive for coronavirus and refused to self-isolate is placed under mandatory quarantine by guard posted outside his home 24 hours a day

We never took these measures before for deadly contagions. Period.

You are incorrect. Historically, Public Health Officials have the authority to close business and public gatherings that present a health threat. Here is just one example. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_polio

On Saturday, June 17, 1916, an official announcement of the existence of an epidemic polio infection was made in Brooklyn, New York. That year, there were over 27,000 cases and more than 6,000 deaths due to polio in the United States, with over 2,000 deaths in New York City alone.[15] The names and addresses of individuals with confirmed polio cases were published daily in the press, their houses were identified with placards, and their families were quarantined.[16] Dr. Hiram M. Hiller, Jr. was one of the physicians in several cities who realized what they were dealing with, but the nature of the disease remained largely a mystery.

The 1916 epidemic caused widespread panic and thousands fled the city to nearby mountain resorts; movie theaters were closed, meetings were canceled, public gatherings were almost nonexistent, and children were warned not to drink from water fountains, and told to avoid amusement parks, swimming pools, and beaches.

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