It is hard to believe we are still dealing with COVID after so many months!
How can I help?
The best I can do is provide you the most up-to-date information and answer your questions as needed. Although much of this info was shared in previous posts, the following is a quick review of the most important COVID information.
COVID Symptoms
COVID symptoms include the following:
- At least TWO of the following symptoms: fever, chills, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, congestion/runny nose OR
- At least ONE of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or loss of smell.
Quarantine vs Isolation
Quarantine is what you do if you have been exposed to a positive COVID Case and/or have been identified as a close contact of a positive case. Incubation period for COVID infection is 2-14 days and, therefore, exposed individuals should quarantine for 14 days post exposure with day #1 being first day after exposure.
14 days can be a significant hardship for many and, therefore, the CDC offers an acceptable alternative. The alternative option, if 14 days is not feasible, is 10 days without a covid test OR 7 days with a negative test between day 5-7.
Isolation is what you do if you have COVID symptoms or test positive. Isolation is 10 days from start of symptoms or test date (whichever comes first). Day #1 being test date/symptom start date.
Who Needs to Quarantine?
"Close contacts" to positive cases are required to quarantine. Individuals who are fully vaccinated (received final dose at least 2 weeks prior) or individuals who tested positive in last 90 days do NOT need to quarantine.
What does "Close Contact" mean?
Close contacts are considered persons who were within 6 feet of a positive case for 15 min or more within a 24 hour period during the positive cases "infectious period".
A positive COVID case is considered infectious 2 days prior to start of symptoms or test date (whichever comes first) until 10 days post test date/symptom start date.
"Close contacts of close contacts" (ie. family members of close contacts) are not at risk for infection unless the close contact exhibits symptoms or tests positive.
- CHANGE FOR 21-22 SCHOOL YEAR:
- In the K-12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student where both students correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks the entire time.
Why Do Some People Need to Quarantine for 17 days or more?
If a family member (i.e. parent/caregiver) tests positive for COVID and can not isolate from other household members (ie. their children), the other household members must quarantine during their positive household member's isolation period (10 days). Since the 10th day is the last day of exposure for the fellow household members, they will then still need to quarantine an additional 10 days post last day of exposure (OR 7 days with a negative test between day 5-7).
If you have any COVID related questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me
at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535 or jluisi@jefftwp.org
