Health Protection Agency HPA has brought changes to the quarantine period for individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and their direct contacts amid a dramatic rise in pandemic cases across the country.
HPA said that it brought the changes with the powers vested to it under section 34 of the Public Health Protection Act.
Quarantine Rules for individuals who test positive for COVID
HPA said that out of those who test positive for COVID, individuals who do not show any symptoms of the illness would be quarantined for 7 (seven) days from the day they give the COVID sample.
The Agency said that if the individual is exhibiting any symptoms of the illness, then the person would be released from quarantine after being isolated for at least 24 hours without symptoms.
HPA noted that individuals who work at health facilities, care facilities, schools, and educational centers would only be released from the 7-day quarantine once presented with a negative antigen test result. It said that the antigen test must be done by a laboratory that has been granted Health Ministry's permission to conduct such tests.
Quarantine rules for direct contacts of positive patients
The Health Protection Agency HPA said that direct contacts of positive patients who have completed two doses of the COVID vaccine would be quarantined for 10 (ten) days from the day they came in contact with the positive individual.
It said that once the 10 days are completed if the individual does not show any symptoms of the illness, he/she will be released from quarantine.
HPA said fully vaccinated direct contacts can get tested for COVID five days into their quarantine and can get released with a negative result.
The Agency added these rules would only apply if the direct contact is isolated away from the positive individual.
Meanwhile, HPA said that direct contacts who have not completed the vaccine must remain quarantined for 14 (fourteen) days. It said that they would be released from quarantine with a negative PCR test at the end of the 14 days.
