The Tompkins County Health Department is rejecting guidance issued by the CDC this week, reducing the isolation time for health care and other “essential” workers who test positive for COVID-19.
Spectrum News reports the county wants to hear more guidance before reducing the quarantine time from ten to five days. The CDC issued the revised guidance this week after research showing that people are most contagious from one to two days before the onset of symptoms to two to three days afterwards. This is the guidance Tompkins County health officials are giving residents for now:
- Regardless of vaccination status, isolate yourself immediately from others in your household
- Isolation guidance continues to be to isolate from others for 10 days after the positive test result or the onset of symptoms, whichever occurs first
- For those who self-test, isolate immediately, complete a Self-Test Report, and follow the instructions on the Self-Test Website.
If you were exposed to the virus by close contact:
- Quarantine guidance continues to be 10 days following the day of potential exposure
- Maintain distance from others in your household and monitor yourself for symptoms
- Those who are fully vaccinated and do not have symptoms do not need to quarantine
Find more information on quarantine and isolation guidance HERE.
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