COVID-19 Quarantine Requirement Lowered to Ten Days

SAN ANGELO, TX -- The Center for Disease Control has released new guidelines for quarantine and isolation as the pandemic continues ravaging communities.

While quarantine and isolation are constantly used interchangeably, they technically apply to different circumstances.

Quarantine

Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. 

This helps prevent the spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms.

People in quarantine should

• stay home
• separate themselves from others
• monitor their health and follow directions from their state or local health department.

Local public health authorities, in this case, Dr. James Vretis, will make the final decisions regarding how long quarantine should last based on local conditions and needs in their communities.

On Dec. 3, Dr. Vretis announced Tom Green County will move from a 14-day requirement to 10 days in some instances. The change is made based on new guidance from the CDC on options to reduce the length of quarantine.

Effective immediately, people who are quarantined and have had no symptoms can be released from quarantine after 10 days without testing by filling out the COVID-19 Quarantine/Isolation Release Form.

Isolation

Isolation: used to separate people infected with COVID-19 from people who are not infected. People in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be around others. 

In the home, anyone sick or infected should

• separate themselves
• stay in a specific “sick room” or area
• use a separate bathroom, if available.
• avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.
• don’t share personal items, like cups, towels, and utensils. 
• wear a mask when around other people. 

Patients in isolation are also asked to monitor symptoms, including having trouble breathing. If symptoms appear or worsen they are asked to seek emergency medical care.