December 16, 2020

NEW ODH HEALTH ALERT: Updated Guidance for Quarantine (COVID-19)

December 7, 2020

 Summary and Action Items

  • On December 2, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a scientific brief with considerations for reducing the duration of quarantine for COVID-19 using symptom monitoring and diagnostic testing.
  • On December 4, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) adopted this guidance.

Updated Recommendations for Quarantine

Public health recommendations continue to evolve and are updated as new scientific evidence becomes available. On December 2, 2020, CDC released a scientific brief with considerations for reducing the duration of quarantine for COVID-19 using symptom monitoring and diagnostic testing. Recommendations for quarantine adopted by ODH are as follows:

  • Optimal Duration to Minimize Risk of Transmission: Standard 14-day quarantine period. A 14-day quarantine period presents the lowest risk of post-quarantine transmission. This strategy is preferred for people living, working, or visiting congregate living facilities, high density workplaces, or other settings where potential extensive transmission or contact with people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 is possible.
  • Reduced Duration 1: Stay at home for at least 10 days after last exposure AND symptom monitoring through day 14. Consider obtaining a viral test at the end of this period (day 8 or later) to increase certainty that the individual is not infected, but quarantine cannot be discontinued earlier than after day 10.
  • Reduced Duration 2: Negative viral test result for SARS-CoV-2 from a test collected on day 5 or later after last exposure AND stay at home for at least 7 days after last exposure AND symptom monitoring through day 14.

Recommended actions during quarantine, regardless of duration, include staying at home until quarantine may be discontinued, maintaining social distance (at least 6 feet) from others, wearing a mask when around other people, and self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 through day 14. Persons who develop symptoms of COVID-19 or who test positive for SARS-COV-2 should self-isolate and follow recommendations for discontinuing isolation.

Healthcare facilities, in consultation with their local health department, may follow CDC’s Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel Staffing Shortages when staffing shortages occur.

For additional ODH guidance for quarantine, click here.

Contact

For general questions related to COVID-19, healthcare providers and facilities should contact their local health department. To locate a local health department, please visit https://odhgateway.odh.ohio.gov/lhdinformationsystem/Directory/GetMyLHD

Ohio local health departments should contact the Ohio Department of Health Bureau of Infectious Diseases at 614-995-5599.


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