Jefferson County Health Department Releases Updated Options for Quarantine After Exposure to COVID-19

This update has been issued following the CDC’s release of options to reduce quarantine for contacts of persons with COVID-19 using symptoms monitoring and diagnostic testing. Quarantine is used to separate someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 and may develop illness away from other people. The new guidelines for quarantine options shorter than 14 days balance reduced burden against a small but non-zero risk of post-quarantine infection that is informed by new and emerging science.

Quarantine for 14 full days after the time of exposure remains the gold standard and our best strategy for preventing asymptomatic transmission of SARS-CoV-2, as the incubation period for the COVID-19 virus is 2- 14 days.

Who needs to Quarantine?
People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19. This excludes people who have had COVID-19 within the past 3 months. People who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to 3 months as long as they do not develop symptoms. If they develop symptoms of COVID-19, they should isolate until they are well for at least 24 hours, or according to an alternate diagnosis by the appropriate health care provider.

You are a close contact if any of the following situations happened while you spent time with the person with COVID-19 (even if they did not have symptoms and either of you were wearing a mask):

• You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more.
• You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19.
• You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them).
• You shared eating or drinking utensils with the person.
• They sneezed, coughed or somehow got respiratory droplets on you.

Read the entire update here