COLUMBUS, Ohio — New quarantine guidelines were issued for Ohioans during Gov. Mike DeWine’s COVID-19 briefing on Friday.
Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, chief medical officer of the Ohio Department of Health, said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been analyzing data surrounding the virus and what quarantining measures are most efficient.
Between CDC data and growing confidence in testing, the Ohio Department of Health has developed two new options for quarantining in Ohio.
- A 10-day option that doesn't require testing as long as the person has no symptoms
- A seven-day option for those with a negative test result and no symptoms
When quarantining in the 10-day option, citizens are asked to consider getting tested on the eighth day or later to increase certainty that they are not infected, but they should still not end their quarantine before the end of the 10-day period.
The seven-day quarantine option can be utilized when a person has no symptoms and receives a test on the fifth day or later.
No matter which option citizens utilize, Vanderhoff said that social distancing and mask-wearing should be practiced when around others and those quarantining should monitor themselves for symptoms for a full 14-day period.
Those in quarantine should be isolating in a separate room away from others if they have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, Vanderhoff said.
Vanderhoff said that the state is asking citizens to stay in their homes, isolated for several days after having close contact with someone with COVID-19 in order to help prevent the spread. Those who have been exposed might not have symptoms and be unaware they are spreading the virus, Vanderhoff said, making quarantining important regardless.
While the new options for quarantine are expected to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Vanderhoff said that the safest way to limit spread is still the quarantine period of 14 days.
The state still recommends the original 14-day quarantine option for people in congregate living facilities and for those who are in contact with people who are high-risk for severe illness from the virus.
