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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – Following an update to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Springfield-Greene County Department of Health has updated its protocol to shorten quarantine times.
For those who are not showing symptoms of COVID-19, there are two potential quarantine options.
- The quarantine can be reduced to seven days after a negative COVID-19 test result. The test should be collected within 48 hours of expected release from quarantine.
- The quarantine can be shortened to 10 days without testing.
Previously, close contacts had to be quarantined for 14 days from their date of exposure. This change reflects the growing evidence for a decreased risk of getting sick at the end of quarantine. The CDC estimates that for those who test negative, there would be a 5 to 12% chance of getting sick after seven days. For those who don’t take a test, there would be a 1-10% chance of getting sick after 10 days.
The CDC warns, however, that less risk doesn’t mean no risk.
Those released from quarantine after seven or ten days are urged to continue to exercise caution for the remainder of the 14-day quarantine period, including vigilant masking, hand washing, distancing and surveillance. symptoms.
“A key part of public health practice is to constantly review emerging data and information and use that evidence to make decisions,” said director of health Clay Goddard. “Our hope is that this change balances protecting public health, which will always be our top priority, with allowing people to resume life in a way we feel comfortable with, based on solid data. ”
The Department of Health is working to update its guidelines and protocols online at health.springfieldmo.gov/quarantine, and will work in the coming days to notify those who may be released from quarantine as a result of this change.
Those looking for testing can find resources available on our website at health.springfieldmo.gov/testing or can reach our call center at 417-874-1211 to also be in contact with resources.
There has been no change in isolation procedures – people who test positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate for 10 days after the onset of symptoms or the date of testing if the individual is asymptomatic and can be released at the earliest these 10 days. as long as symptoms improve and the individual has not had a fever in the previous 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.
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