Exceptions to those who have close contact with people with COVID 19 in ND

North Dakota has updated the quarantine guidance for anyone who has come into contact with someone at COVID 19. Here are the news releases and details from the Joint Information Center.

Governor Doug Burgham and North Dakota Health Department (NDDOH) announced today Updated guidance For quarantine of individuals identified as close contact with COVID-19-positive individuals. Guidance has been updated to reflect that in a non-healthcare, non-residential environment, close contact does not require self if both positive cases and close contact always wear a face that covers consistently and correctly. doing. Quarantine at home.

“This is a common-sense approach that creates incentives for people to wear face covers and provides students, faculty, managers and parents with a more positive school experience,” both parties wear. If the mask, note that the quarantine exception applies retroactively.

Quarantine exceptions include, but are not limited to:

• A child care center where staff and older children (2 years and older) can wear masks.
• group home
• Schools and kindergartens from kindergarten to high school
• College and university
• Work settings
• Social interaction
• Other settings where both the infected and the contact were masked during exposure.

Close contacts that meet quarantine exceptions should continue to be self-monitoring. That means you have to cover your face and pay attention to the symptoms, says Kirby Kruger, an epidemiologist and director of NDDOH disease management.

According to Kruger, the updated guidelines are based on increased evidence evaluated by public health professionals such as NDDoH epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists, confirming the effectiveness of masks to reduce infection.

“The evidence is clear. The steps we take by wearing a mask have a direct impact on the spread of COVID-19,” Kruger said. “In addition, individuals need to stay home, keep a distance of 6 feet, wash their hands frequently, and disinfect frequently touched surfaces even when they are ill. Your role in keeping our condition safe. Thank you for fulfilling. “

“We continue to learn more about the virus 11 months ago every day,” said Dr. Joan Connell, Field Medical Officer at NDDoH. “With this cheap tool, Face Cover, which is easy for most people to use, we are facing an unprecedented coronavirus infection rate in North Dakota, so we can really significantly reduce the spread of the infection. There is strong evidence to show. In our community. We are pleased to use this science to develop policies for maintaining the health, workplace and school health of people in North Dakota. “

Dr. Paul Carson, an infectious disease specialist and professor of public health at North Dakota State University, said: “There is increasing evidence that masking is an effective means of preventing the spread of the virus between individuals.” Today, many experts say that regular use of masks greatly controls our outbreak. If the infected person is in close contact with the susceptible, if both are faithfully masked, the chances of infection are very low and self-infection rather than complete quarantine. I think it is reasonable to think of surveillance as a rational action plan, which should further increase the incentive to wear masks on a regular basis when interacting with others in public. “

The definition of close contact has not changed and continues to be defined as an individual who has been within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes over a 24-hour period. Close contacts that do not meet the quarantine exceptions need to be quarantined for 14 days after the last exposure, Kruger said.

In addition, those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 will continue to be To separate Kruger said he had no fever for at least 10 days and at least 24 hours and his symptoms improved.

Copyright 2020 KVLY. all rights reserved.