RAVALLI COUNTY COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE
January 3, 2022
As many residents may be aware, CDC has updated guidance for isolation and the recommendations for quarantine late last week. Both the guidance for isolation and the recommendation for quarantine have been shortened based on studies showing that individuals are most infectious 1-2 days before, and 2-3 days after onset of symptoms. The following are the updated guidance for the general population and do not apply to healthcare or correctional facilities.
The isolation guidelines apply to everyone regardless of vaccination status.
- If Positive: Stay home for 5 days (The count begins the date your symptoms began)
- If no symptoms (count begins the day of testing) or symptoms are resolving, residents can safely leave their home after 5 days
- Residents are encouraged to continue to wear their masks around others for an additional 5 days (this would be day 6-10 of the original 10 day isolation)
Please continue to stay home if you have a fever. Residents are encourage to remain home until fever resolves.
Quarantine recommendations for the general population unvaccinated or with a completed vaccine series of Pfizer or Moderna more than 6 months or J&J more than 2 months and no booster.
- Stay home and quarantine for 5 days.
- Masking is strongly encouraged when around others, including household contacts for 10 days
- If you can’t quarantine, please mask when around others for 10 days
- If symptoms develop, seek testing. If positive stay home and follow the isolation guidelines
- Testing is recommended on day 5 of quarantine if possible.
Quarantine recommendations for the general population with recently completed vaccine series or those individuals that have been boosted.
- Do not need to stay home
- Masking is strongly encouraged for 10 days
- A test on day 5 (if possible) is also recommended
- If symptoms develop please seek testing. If positive please follow the isolation guidance and stay home.
Antigen home test kits are an effective tool residents can use to help guide decisions. They are most reliable when individuals have symptoms. The kits will not clear anyone for medical procedures or quarantine. However, they can be used to help a resident with no symptoms decide on whether to visit a friend or go to an event, etc.
The updated shortened guidance and recommendations are a reasonable approach to help reduce some of the negative impact that longer isolation and quarantine have had on residents, while still making an effort at mitigating spread.
“The current guidelines, correctly applied, will be effective at limiting viral spread when individuals are most infections.” —Dr. Carol Calderwood, Health Officer