ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH UPDATES QUARANTINE GUIDANCE BASED ON CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS

Modified: February 26, 2021 6:21pm

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02/26/2021

ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH UPDATES QUARANTINE GUIDANCE BASED ON CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS

Changes apply for individuals who are fully vaccinated, and those who have recovered from COVID-19 infection

ERIE COUNTY, NY – The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) is adopting quarantine recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks (14 days) after receiving their second dose of either of the FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna). An individual who is considered fully vaccinated may be exempt from quarantine for up to 90 days. ECDOH contact tracers added vaccination status questions to their case investigation scripts, and will confirm how vaccination may affect quarantine when speaking with close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

If a person received the full vaccine series of an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine and is (1) exposed to an individual who tested COVID-19 positive or (2) traveled to a U.S. state other than those contiguous to New York and remains asymptomatic, that person will not need to quarantine under the criteria below.

Additionally, a person who recovered from a COVID-19 infection and remains asymptomatic will not need to quarantine under the criteria below.

Quarantine Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Persons:

Fully vaccinated persons with an exposure to a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case OR who traveled to a U.S. state other than those contiguous to New York are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the criteria below:

  • Fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)         
    AND
  • Within 90 days of the receipt of the last dose in the vaccination series     
    AND
  • Remain asymptomatic since their current COVID-19 exposure or the vaccination series completion

Exceptions to the Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Persons:

  • The above 3 criteria are not met
  • International travel including Canada
  • Fully-vaccinated hospitalized persons
  • Fully-vaccinated residents of healthcare settings

If you fall into one of the above exceptions, you need to quarantine in accordance to previously issued New York State Quarantine Guidance. The last two exceptions are due to the unknown vaccine effectiveness in these specific populations, the higher risk of severe disease and death, and challenges with social/physical distancing in healthcare settings. 

Quarantine Guidance for Persons who Recovered from a COVID-19 Infection:

Persons who recovered from COVID-19 infection and are exposed to a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case or who traveled to a U.S. state other than those contiguous to New York will not need to quarantine if they meet the criteria below:

  • Recovered from COVID-19 illness due to laboratory confirmed (PCR or antigen) COVID-19 infection and has met the criteria to end isolation     
    AND
  • Within the first 90 days following the onset of symptoms of their initial laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection or within the first 90 days of their first positive COVID-19 test result if they were asymptomatic during initial infection
    AND
  • Remains asymptomatic since the new exposure

These guidelines may change as new COVID-19 information becomes available.  Everyone, including fully vaccinated persons and persons who recovered from COVID-19 illness, must continue to wear masks, wash hands frequently, and practice social distancing.

This guidance has been posted to the ECDOH COVID-19 web site, www.erie.gov/covid19/iq.

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Resources

Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States

CDC Quarantine Guidance

CDC Discontinuation of Isolation

CDC Travel Guidance