Updated San Mateo County COVID-19 Release from Quarantine and Return to Work Guidance

Hello,

 

Updated San Mateo County COVID-19 Release from Quarantine Guidance and Return to Work Criteria for Healthcare and Congregate Setting Staff with Confirmed COVID-19, Suspected COVID-19, or Recognized Exposure to COVID-19 are now available! The Return to Work document outlines strategies that may be used during critical staffing shortages.

 

Please note that 14-day quarantine is still ideal and is still recommended for all close contacts. If quarantining for 14 days is a hardship as defined by the contact or in the event of a critical staffing shortage for healthcare/congregate setting workers, quarantine may be shortened to 10 days WITH or WITHOUT testing or 7 days WITH testing depending on the situation.

 

Persons who are not high risk and who do not work or reside in congregate settings may choose to complete a 10-day quarantine without testing if a 14-day quarantine is a hardship. However, it is important that these contacts understand that there is still an estimated 1% and up to 10% risk of transmission after day 10.

 

Those who are high risk (e.g., severely immunocompromised, pregnant or within the 2 week post-partum period, dialysis patients), around those who are high risk, or who work or reside in congregate settings (e.g., skilled nursing facilities, retirement communities, shelters, correctional/detention facilities) either must complete a 14-day quarantine or are required to have a negative PCR result within 24-48 hours prior to ending quarantine if a shorter quarantine period is permissible.

 

The flow chart at the end of the Release from Quarantine guidance document is very helpful. Please see the San Mateo County COVID-19 Release from Quarantine Guidance and Return to Work Criteria for Healthcare and Congregate Setting Staff with Confirmed COVID-19, Suspected COVID-19, or Recognized Exposure to COVID-19 for more detail.

 

Thanks,

 

Communicable Disease Control Program San Mateo County Public Health, Policy & Planning 225 37th Avenue, San Mateo CA 94403

Phone: 650-573-2346 / Fax: 650-573-2919 / Email: SMCCDControl@smcgov.org