Quarantine for Community Persons Exposed to COVID-19

The Department of Health (DOH) recently issued new quarantine guidance which takes into consideration vaccination and COVID-19 recovery status.

Consistent with recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, asymptomatic individuals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 do not need to quarantine during the first three months after full vaccination if the following criteria are met:

• Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥ two weeks following receipt of the second dose in a two-dose series, or ≥ two weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine); AND
• Are within three months following receipt of the last dose in the series; AND
• Have remained asymptomatic since the last COVID-19 exposure. 

Individuals who do not meet all three of the above criteria and who have been exposed to someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 are required to quarantine for 14 days after exposure, or 10 days if they are symptomatic. Consistent with previous CDC guidance, there is no testing requirement to end the quarantine if no symptoms have been reported during the quarantine period. However, a test should be sought immediately if any symptoms develop during the 14 days after exposure.

Consistent with CDC guidance from Feb. 13, 2021, asymptomatic individuals who have previously been diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and have since recovered are not required to retest and quarantine within three months after the date of symptom onset from the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection or date of first positive diagnostic test if asymptomatic during illness.

Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org, 518-929-9342