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Health dept. revises quarantine guidelines

Posted 12/8/20

The Howard County Public Health Department its revised its quarantine guidelines for those considered direct contacts of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

The Center for Disease …

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Health dept. revises quarantine guidelines

Posted

The Howard County Public Health Department its revised its quarantine guidelines for those considered direct contacts of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

The Center for Disease Control and Investigation (CDC) reported that an evaluation of data of direct contacts of positive cases showed that after the fifth day, the risk of contracting Covid-19 from exposure decreases daily, with a significant decrease after 10 days. For this reason, the CDC has modified quarantine guidelines for direct contacts.

Quarantining for 14 days is still optimal, but it is recognized that this lengthy quarantine may be difficult for many people.  

Someone who is considered a direct contact under quarantine, but has no symptoms of disease, can elect to take a PCR (not antigen) SARS-CoV-2 test on or after Day 5. If that test is negative (keep in mind it might take several days to receive the results, and the person must remain quarantined until the result is known or, if the person remains asymptomatic, until the 10th day) as long as it is Day 7 or later, the person is no longer required to quarantine once a negative result is received. However, they must monitor themselves for symptoms through Day 14.

Alternatively, if a direct contact is showing no symptoms on Day 10, that person is no longer required to quarantine, but again, must monitor for symptoms daily through Day 14.

In either scenario, if symptoms develop, that person must again self-isolate. Wearing a mask, socially distancing greater than six feet, and continuing frequent hand hygiene are highly encouraged. 

Please contact the Howard County Public Health Department for questions related to these new guidelines.

Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-options-to-reduce-quarantine.html.

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