How COVID-19 Vaccinations affect Quarantine and isolation.
Boozhoo All!
We currently have 6 active cases of COVID in the community. I encourage staff and community members to continue masking and social distancing when you’re with anyone who doesn’t live in your household. If you’re not vaccinated, please consider scheduling an appointment to receive one.
I’ve quarantined quite a few households this week, remember, if you’re vaccinated you do NOT need to quarantine. Getting the vaccine will keep you at work and your kids in school.
The current MDH recommendations if you are NOT vaccinated for quarantining if you have a positive case in your household is 14 days from the LAST day you have contact with the positive case. If you are unable to separate from the positive case your quarantine date is the first day the case is no longer contagious, so that means you would be stuck at home for close to 26 days or more if there are other positive cases. This is a LONG time. If you have a positive case in the household, there is NOT a shortened quarantine time and you can NOT test out of quarantine with a negative test. Bois Forte is following the MDH (Minnesota Department of Health) guidelines.
I’ll break that down with dates. You have 5 people in your household, none are vaccinated.
November 1- Little Johnny starts to get a cough and a runny nose. You bring him in to get tested, he’s positive for COVID.
November 12- Johnny will need to isolate through Nov 11, he is no longer contagious Nov 12.
November 17- If household members can stay separated from Johnny, including using a different bathroom, starting Nov 2, they will need to quarantine through November 16, they can leave the house November 17.
November 27- If household members can’t separate from Johnny, their first day of the 14 day quarantine starts the first day Johnny isn’t contagious. That means your 14 days STARTS November 12. So you will need to stay in quarantine through November 26, you can leave the house November 27.
If you’re lucky no one else gets COVID. If someone else comes tests positive then all of your dates move back again according to the dates of that positive case. You could be in quarantine for 4 weeks straight or more. If you were vaccinated you wouldn’t need to quarantine, at all. You would be recommended to wear a mask out in public and to watch your contacts for the 14 days. Please consider vaccinating.
Thank you all who have been following the guidelines, I know it is hard and very frustrating, but this is how we keep the virus from spreading.
Miigwech!
Teri Morrison RN, Lead Community Health Nurse
Bois Forte Health and Human Services
13071 Nett Lake Road, Suite A
Nett Lake, MN 55772
218-757-3295
218-757-3335 Fax
