New Isolation, Quarantine Orders: Coronavirus In Sonoma County

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Under new health orders issued Friday by the Sonoma County health officer, residents of Sonoma County who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, must isolate themselves at home — or another residence as directed by their doctor — and must also tell their close contacts to quarantine themselves.

As the number of positive cases grows in Sonoma County, officials say the blanket isolation and quarantine orders were put into place to support Sonoma County Public Health Disease Control’s work to contain the virus, and to reinforce the critical importance of isolation and quarantine of potentially infectious individuals.

The number of active coronavirus cases in the county increased to 145 as of 6 p.m. Friday, when the county also reported its second coronavirus-related death.

The new isolation and quarantine orders are "blanket," meaning they apply to all residents, and replace individual orders previously issued by the county health officer. The blanket orders also apply to anyone awaiting COVID-19 awaiting COVID-19 test results as well as anyone suspected by their doctor of having the virus, Sonoma County officials said in a news release.

"If a person is found to have COVID-19 their health care provider will tell them to isolate and provide guidance to share with anyone who has been in close contact with that person," Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase said in the news release.

"Both categories of individuals should follow these orders," Mase said. "Those with COVID-19 are to isolate, and those who have had contact with a COVID-19 case to quarantine."

Isolation is a critical component of reducing the spread of COVID-19 by separating sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick, county officials said; Whereas, quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

Close contacts to a person with COVID-19 are defined by the county as someone who:

• Lives in or has stayed at the person's home;
• Is an intimate sexual partner of the person;
• Provides or has provided care to the person without wearing a mask, gown and gloves; and/or
• Is determined through County Disease Control's contact tracing program to have been physically close to the person while they were infectious — the infectious period being 48 hours before their symptoms began until they are released from isolation.

With the new orders in place, health care providers and commercial labs that conduct COVID-19 testing are still required to report positive results to the Sonoma County Department of Health Services, which intends to continue monitoring positive cases and their close contacts for symptoms and compliance with the orders.

If someone tests positive, their health care provider is to instruct them on isolation and provide guidance to share with close contacts who must quarantine.

Sonoma County Public Health Disease Control then follows up with cases to ensure they are following the orders. Violation of or failure to comply with either order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both, according to county officials.

• See the blanket Sonoma County quarantine order here.
• See the blanket Sonoma County isolation order here.

"To get the full benefit of the shelter-in-place order and truly flatten the curve, it is critical for all residents to fully comply with these Orders and protect public health," Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chair Susan Gorin said. "Thank you to so many of our community members who are doing their part to stop the spread by staying home."

Full coronavirus coverage: California Coronavirus: Latest Updates On Cases, Orders, Closures

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