WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 2, 2021) – Johnson County Community Health Services (JCCHS) has reduced quarantine restrictions for anyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19. The time required for a close contact to quarantine is reduced from 14 to 10 days.
Based on our current decrease in positive COVID-19 cases, JCCHS recommends decreasing the existing 14 day quarantine period to 10 days based on the following:
- Quarantine can end after day 10 without testing if no symptoms have been reported, and the individual continues to wear a mask.
- End to quarantine after the completion of 10 full days for ASYMPTOMATIC individuals, provided that monitoring continues throughout the full 14 days. If symptoms develop, the individual should contact a public health authority or healthcare provider immediately.
- Johnson County has a seven percent positivity rate, and is identified as a Level 3 County: Serious Risk Category. This is defined in the state’s Public Health Warning released by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).
- DHSS strongly encourages local communities to consider a tiered-approach that includes reduced quarantine restrictions when the local community is within a County Action Plan Level 3 status or better.
- County Action Plan Levels are defined in the state’s Public Health Warning, and may be reviewed here: https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/pdf/advisory-20201119.pdf.
Please note, according to DHSS, communities can move down in the risk category after two consecutive weeks of meeting the next lower level criteria. Johnson County has moved down in the risk category, therefore, lessening quarantine restrictions.
As a reminder, guidance regarding isolation for confirmed COVID-19 cases remains unchanged. This newly-modified CDC guidance is not authorized for reduced timeframes for quarantine in nursing facilities or long-term care facilities.
JCCHS continues to recommend following the 3Ws. Wear a mask, watch your distance and wash your hands.
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