Department issues quarantine guidance

Chester County Health Department issued a set of quarantine guidelines that are in effect today, Dec. 14. Currently, individuals who are in close contact with individuals with COVID-19 or have traveled and not received a negative test result must quarantine.

The use and adherence to quarantine requirements continues to be a strong public health measure to mitigate COVID-19, the department said in a press release. Quarantines break the transmission cycle by limiting exposure to other individuals. Therefore, the Chester County Health Department recommends a 14-day quarantine period as the most protective quarantine period for everyone.

The Chester County Health Department has re-established quarantine guidelines.

The Chester County Health Department recognizes the following quarantine periods as acceptable alternatives when adherence to the 14-day-period is truly not possible. The alternatives only apply to individuals in quarantine. Individuals who are a confirmed and probable case of COVID-19 are still required to follow the 10-day isolation requirement.

The following alternative quarantine periods do not apply to individuals who work at, or live in, healthcare or congregate settings to include hospitals, healthcare practices/offices, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, clinics of all sizes, shelters, group homes, EMS, etc. Employers and organizations, including daycare/childcare centers, public/non-public schools, and colleges/universities must determine if they will support alternative quarantine periods for their employees, those doing business with them, or receiving services from them.

Employers and organizations selecting to use alternative quarantine periods — as outlined below — must continue symptom monitoring for the full 14 days and must continue strict adherence to all existing local and state mandates and guidance (e.g., masking, physical distancing). Employers and organizations are recommended to consult their solicitor or legal counsel regarding any policies, procedures or protocols for requirements that may need to be in place regarding proof of negative test result and date of test when using alternative quarantine periods. Additionally, employers and organizations should update their employee and visitor screening protocol if using the alternative quarantine protocols.

Alternative quarantine periods:

·Quarantine can end after day 10 without testing if an individual remains asymptomatic through the end of day10.

·Quarantine can end after day seven if a diagnostic specimen (e.g., RT-PCR, antigen) tests negative and is collected on day five or thereafter, and the person remains asymptomatic until the test result is received.

Quarantine begins after the date of last exposure (day zero) to a person with COVID-19. At no time can quarantine be discontinued before the end of day seven even if a negative COVID-19 test result is received prior to the end of day seven.

 

 

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
Loading...

Comments

comments

Leave a Reply