By Michael S. Moore and Katherine C. Campbell
On Wednesday, the CDC issued revised guidance announcing that the required time for quarantine after exposure to COVID-19 may be reduced from 14 days to 7 or 10 days. The CDC still recommends a quarantine period of 14 days when possible. But the CDC also recognizes that the burden and economic hardship of the 14-day quarantine may reduce compliance. As a result, the CDC states that the following shorter quarantine periods are acceptable alternatives:
- 10 days: Quarantine can end after Day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring.
- 7 days: Quarantine can end after Day 7 if an individual tests negative and if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring. In this scenario, the individual may be tested up to 48 hours before the 7-day quarantine is over (i.e., on Day 5 or Day 6), but the quarantine cannot end until after Day 7.
The CDC begins to count on the day of the last known exposure to a person with COVID-19. Under both shorter quarantine periods, the CDC requires individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 to continue to monitor for symptoms and wear masks through Day 14. If an individual begins to experience symptoms after Day 7 or Day 10, they must immediately isolate.
Link to guidance
Katherine C. Campbell is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group at Friday, Eldredge & Clark. She serves as litigation counsel for individuals and businesses in complex business and commercial disputes including employment claims, collective action wage and hour claims, and breach of contract matters.
Michael S. Moore is a partner in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group with an emphasis on wage-and-hour collective action employment discrimination defense. He specializes in litigation of discrimination cases, wage-hour collective actions, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, FMLA and employee and supervisor training. He is also a frequent speaker on a variety of employment law topics. Mike has extensive experience before the EEOC and the Wage-Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor, as well as litigation experience in both federal and state courts. He is a member of the Pulaski County, Arkansas and American Bar Associations.
Disclaimer: The information included here is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be a substitute for legal advice nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel. For more information or if you have further questions, please contact one of our Attorneys.