COVID-19 Health Alert # 16: Quarantine of Wisconsin Residents Exposed to COVID-19 Is an Essential Prevention Strategy
COVID-19 Health Alert # 16: Quarantine of Wisconsin residents exposed to COVID-19 is an essential prevention strategy. Wisconsin Department of Health Services sent this bulletin at 09/10/2020 10:28 AM CDT.
Bureau of Communicable Diseases, September 9, 2020
Summary
- DHS recommends a 14-day quarantine for all Wisconsin residents who were in close contact with a person with COVID-19.
- Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of an infectious person for 15 minutes or more, unless the uninfected person was using appropriate PPE in a health care setting or similar environment.
- No employment sectors are considered exempt from the quarantine of exposed workers. Quarantine requirements may be modified in circumstances when excluding a person from work could result in an imminent threat to patient care, public health, or public safety. These circumstances should be approved on a case-by-case basis in consultation with local or state public health officials.
- In educational settings, strict adherence to quarantine requirements for students, educators and staff is necessary to minimize the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks.
The Kewaunee County Health Department points out the change in definition of essential workers. No business is exempt from quarantine any longer; unless danger to patients / public health is at risk. Please review the new alert as this will be Kewaunee County’s new guidance moving forward.
