Health Center Issues Changes to Quarantine and Isolation Rules for Dent County | Local News

• Adopted use of the K-12 exemption for close contact when both parties are wearing masks.

• Fully vaccinated or patients previously infected with C-19 in the past 90 days do not need to self-quarantine when exposed.

• Changes to quarantine

– Duration based on county positivity rate

o 10% or more – 14 days, day 0 being the last day of exposure.

o Less than 10% – 10 days with the possibility of testing at 7 days, day 0 being the last day of exposure.

• The out-of-quarantine test only applies if

– There is no shortage of PCR tests.

– The test obtained must be a PCR or NAAT test from the 5th day.

a) Dent County will use CDC definitions of close contact

i) The CDC defines close contact with COVID-19 as a person who has been within 6 feet of an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or clinically compatible disease) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a period of 24 hours (for example, three individual exposures of 5 minutes for a total of 15 minutes).

ii) An infected person can spread SARS-CoV-2 from 2 days before showing symptoms (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days before the date of positive specimen collection), until they are meets the criteria for interrupting home isolation.

iii) The CDC has added an exception for Kindergarten to Grade 12 students. In Missouri, K-12 students, teachers, and indoor environment staff who were within 6 feet of an infected person (lab-confirmed or clinically compatible disease) AND if the person infected and the person (s) exposed correctly and consistently wearing well-fitting masks all the time is not considered close contact with a case. This definition is a modified version of the CDC definition of close contact.

iv) A number of factors can influence a person’s risk of exposure to COVID-19, including the type, proximity and duration of their exposure, environmental factors (such as overcrowding and ventilation), vaccination status, previous infection with COVID-19 and use of the mask. Correct and consistent use of the mask is a critical step people can take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. However, the type of masks used and their consistent and correct use vary across the population. Except in indoor K-12 environments as described above, mask use is not considered when defining close contact during case investigation and contact tracing, that the person diagnosed with COVID-19 or the person exposed to SARS-CoV-2 was wearing a mask.

3) Quarantine required when

a) Mandatory for all close contacts (as defined above), except as noted below.

Exceptions: i) Fully vaccinated people do not need to be quarantined, but they must wear a mask and monitor for symptoms for 14 days. Consider testing 3-5 days after exposure.

ii) Individuals previously laboratory-infected with confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days AND have recovered AND remain symptom-free of COVID-19 for the full 14 days after the last date of exposure to the case, have not to quarantine, but they must wear a mask and watch for symptoms for 14 days. Consider testing 3-5 days after exposure.

iii) In the K-12 setting: within 6 feet of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 AND the case and potentially close contact were correctly and consistently wearing well-fitting masks at all times; AND remains symptom-free of COVID-19 for the full 14 days after the last date of exposure to the case. NOTE: This does not include exposures occurring during extracurricular activities such as sports

4) Isolation required when

a) A person tests positive for COVID-19 and is asymptomatic, unless they are> 10 days old but

b) A person has symptoms and tests positive for COVID-19.

c) A person is showing symptoms of COVID-19 and has been exposed to a known case of COVID-19 (if a person in quarantine develops symptoms).

a) Based on the positivity rate:

i) Greater than 10% (indicating high community transmission)

(1) The duration of the quarantine will be 14 days, day zero being the date of the last exposure.

(2) The 7 day test option will not be used during periods of high transmission.

(1) The duration of the quarantine will be 10 days, day zero being the date of the last exposure.

(2) The 7 day testing option will be allowed, provided there is no shortage of PCR testing. See the section on testing.

b) Test out of quarantine

i) On or after day 5, a quarantined person can be tested for SARS-CoV-2 using a high-quality molecular test. Antigen tests, such as BinaxNOW, will not be accepted for these purposes due to the low sensitivity and the higher likelihood of a false negative.

ii) High quality molecular tests are available and unavailable. If at any time the administrator determines that there is a sufficient shortage of these tests in the Dent County area, out-of-quarantine testing will be suspended to preserve these tests for symptomatic people. If an individual is successful in obtaining a PCR test during a shortage, it will NOT be used to inform the duration of the quarantine. This is to discourage the use of these limited resources for this purpose.

a) The isolation period will be 10 days from the onset of symptoms or positive test if asymptomatic, day zero being the day of symptom onset or positive test.

b) CDC guidelines for symptom resolution and release from isolation will be followed.