Modifications to Sedgwick County COVID-19 Quarantine and Disease Investigation

(Sedgwick County, Kan.) – Beginning today, Sedgwick County residents exposed to COVID-19-positive people may quarantine for a shortened length of time, following CDC and KDHE guidelines. Previously, close contacts and travelers had to quarantine and monitor symptoms for 14 days until they could leave their home and return to in-person work. The new guidance applies to people who are close contacts or who have traveled and who do not have COVID-19 symptoms. This guidance does not apply to people who have tested positive.

7-Day Quarantine – no symptoms and with testing

• After exposure, monitor yourself for symptoms daily for 14 full days. Infection can still develop through day 14.
• If you have no symptoms by Day 6, get a PCR test using a nasopharyngeal (nose) swab or a saliva sample.
• Antigen and antibody tests are NOT allowed for this purpose.
• If the test is negative, and you remain symptom-free, you can leave in-home quarantine after seven full days, which is on Day 8.

10-Day Quarantine – no symptoms and no testing

• After exposure, monitor yourself for symptoms daily for 14 full days. Infection can still develop through day 14.
• If you have no symptoms during the 10 days, you can be released from quarantine without a test on Day 11.

People who develop symptoms or who wish to be tested while in quarantine can view the testing locator website to find a testing location near you. Call the Health Department at (316) 660-1022 for no-cost PCR testing.

The Health Department recommends that all close contacts test for COVID-19 at day six or seven of quarantine to ensure viral load is high enough to detect the virus.

If a resident tests positive for COVID-19, the resident can spread coronavirus and should remain at home in isolation for 10 days from the day symptoms started or 72 hours after symptoms stop, whichever is longer (minimum of 10 days).

Modified Disease Investigation

• The Health Department has modified their disease investigation protocol, prioritizing case investigations based on the level of risk for spread of the disease.
• Disease Investigators will investigate COVID-19-positive people (cases) tested through the Health Department, cases from reported clusters and potential clusters, cases reported from schools, and cases in school-aged children not reported from schools.
• In order to help contain the spread of disease, all people who test positive should reach out to their close contacts, letting them know of the exposure and about the 7- and 10-day home quarantine under the guidance above.

As a reminder, our community toolbox consists of mask wearing, social distancing, and good hand hygiene. These are the best ways for the community to slow the spread of coronavirus and protect one another. Please, stay home for the holidays.

-end-