Virus quarantine advice reduced to 7 to 10 days

WASHINGTON - Exposure quarantine can be as short as seven days, according to new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Washington County Public Health is recommending 10 days.

Currently, it is recommended that an individual quarantines for 14 days after last known exposure. The CDC guidance provides information on how to end quarantine after seven or 10 days.

Quarantine can end after Day 10 as long as they remain asymptomatic. With this, there's a 1 percent to 10 percent post-quarantine transmission risk, according to the CDC.

When diagnostic testing resources are sufficient, quarantine can be shortened to seven days if a person tests negative five days post exposure, and they remain asymptomatic. With this, there's a 5 percent to 12 percent post-quarantine transmission risk, according to the CDC.

Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski said public health will be recommending the 10-day quarantine. The new procedure was implemented immediately.

If someone chooses to test out of quarantine, they will need to provide proof of their negative test result on the appropriate date to the school for early release, Pettit-Majewski said in an email

'It can be challenging to be tested without symptoms, and we won't coordinate that for folks,” she said. 'They can call their provider, TestIowa or pay $125 out of pocket at WCHC for a test.”

The full guidance can be viewed at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-options-to-reduce-quarantine

'Here's another opportunity for us to pivot, and I'm sure there will be more,” Pettit-Majewski said.