August 7, 2021
With cases of COVID-19 on the rise, the Jackson County Health Department is reminding individuals of the guidelines for isolation and quarantine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidance for discontinuing home isolation for people who have or are suspected to have had novel coronavirus, also called COVID-19.
Individuals who are experiencing mild to moderate illness and have either tested positive for COVID-19 or are suspected to have COVID-19, home isolation may be discontinued when the following conditions are met:
• At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and
• At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
• Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved
Individuals are experiencing severe to critical COVID-19 illness or who are severely immunocompromised and test positive for COVID-19, home isolation may be discontinued when the following conditions are met:
• At least 20 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and
• At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
• Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved
Individuals who are not experiencing symptoms and have tested positive for COVID-19, home isolation may be discontinued when the following conditions are met:
• At least 10 days have passed since the date of the individual’s first positive COVID-19 diagnostic test, assuming that individual has not subsequently developed symptoms since the first positive test.
o If you develop symptoms, then the symptom-based strategy for discontinuing home isolation should be used.
Current practice neither requires nor recommends additional testing for individuals who had previously tested positive to resume normal activities. The Jackson County Health Department requires individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to complete a period of isolation per the above guidelines in order to return to work, school, or other activities.
Individuals who are not experiencing any symptoms, but were considered to be exposed to an individual with COVID-19 need to quarantine until the following conditions are met:
• Stay home for 14 days after last exposure and maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others
• Self-monitor symptoms
o Check temperature twice a day
o Watch for fever (≥100.4°F), cough, shortness of breath
• Avoid contact with people at higher risk for severe illness
• Follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop
In the event that you feel that you should be evaluated for COVID-19 symptoms, please contact your healthcare provider or urgent care center. Make sure you call ahead to inform the facility of your arrival ahead of time.
