MCDH Adopts 10-Day Release From Quarantine To Return To Work, Tertiary Education Only

Press release from the McHenry County Health Department:

12/17/2020 3:49 PM

The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) is announcing that adults who are close contacts of known COVID-19 cases may be released from quarantine after 10 days to return to work or tertiary education under certain conditions.

Quarantine is used to reduce the spread of disease by separating someone who is identified as a close contact to a confirmed case.

Release from quarantine to return only to work or tertiary education is permitted after day 10 if the following conditions are met:

This person is not under the age of 18, a student of a daycare, preschool or K-12 school

AND

This person has not experienced any symptoms since the date they were last known to have been exposed and at least 10 full days have passed since this date. Example: if a person was exposed on 12/1/20, they can return to work or school on 12/12/20.

“Based on your McHenry County employer or your tertiary educational facility policy, you may continue to attend work or your classes after day 10 of your quarantine as long as you do not develop COVID-19 symptoms,” said MCDH Public Health Nursing Director Susan Karras.

Despite new guidelines from the CDC and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) that currently allow release from quarantine and return to work or school by using a test-based strategy at day seven, the MCDH will not be allowing early release from quarantine or return to work or school under these conditions. MCDH does not allow individuals to test out of quarantine.

MCDH is not adopting the test-based strategy on day seven due to the high level of community transmission in our County and because, given the current turn-around-time for molecular tests, results would most likely not be available until at least 11 days since the last exposure based on when an individual is allowed to get tested after exposure.

Currently, there is not enough evidence to support a 10-day early release from quarantine for close contacts under the age of 18. Studies have only been conducted on adults, finding that their risk of post-exposure transmission has decreased, but is not completely risk free. Fourteen days remains the most risk-free option, as supported by both CDC and IDPH.

“You are still at some risk of post-exposure transmission until after 14 days, so you will need to strictly monitor yourself for any new symptoms, wear a mask and maintain a 6-foot distance from others while at work or in your classes. If you develop symptoms after day 10, it is important that you isolate and get yourself tested to prevent the spread of the virus,” Karras said.

For more information about COVID-19 testing in McHenry County and contact tracing, please visit MCDH's COVID-19 website.

This press release was produced by the McHenry County Health Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.