WUPHD is adopting updated guidance from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) regarding COVID-19 quarantine periods.
On Wednesday, December 2, 2020, the CDC released options for reducing the number of days that individuals with known exposure to a confirmed COVID-19 case should remained quarantined. The data presented to support the proposed reductions are based on case data reviewed for hundreds of thousands of cases that showed 99% of all infections will present within 10 days of exposure. The MDHHS announced their guidance, based upon CDC recommendations earlier today.
While a 14-day quarantine period is still standard, under certain conditions a modified quarantine period of 10 days will be an option if the following two conditions exist:
1) The individual does not develop any symptoms or clinical evidence of COVID-19 infection during daily symptom monitoring for the 10 days after the last exposure.
AND
2) Daily symptom monitoring continues through day 14 after the last exposure.
As currently recommended by MDHHS, diagnostic testing results or antibody testing results will not reduce the length of quarantine for residents of Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon counties at this time. Negative tests or antibody tests will not release close contacts from quarantine earlier than 10 days after last exposure with daily symptom monitoring through 14 days after last exposure to the confirmed COVID-19 case.
WUPHD is monitoring MDHHS and CDC guidelines closely and will provide updates as needed.