MADISON, Wis. — The state Department of Health Services has announced new quarantine guidance for those who come into close contact with a positive COVID-19 case.
Earlier in the week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened the recommended length of quarantine from 14 days to 10, or seven days with a negative test.
A news release Friday said DHS supports the CDC’s new guidelines, which will go into effect in Wisconsin on Monday.
“For many, there may be barriers that make quarantining for a full 14 days extremely challenging,” said DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “While a shorter quarantine carries additional risk of spreading COVID-19, when done responsibly, it can make quarantining easier for more Wisconsinites.”
Although a 14-day quarantine remains the safest option, health officials say a person’s time in quarantine can end after 10 days without testing as long as no symptoms are reported.
That timeframe becomes seven days if the person’s COVID-19 test result comes back negative and was collected within 48 hours of the end of quarantine.
However, daily symptom monitoring must continue until all 14 days have passed for either instance. If symptoms develop near the end of quarantine, people are advised to immediately isolate, call their health care provider and get tested.
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