Today, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) announced updated recommendations of Isolation and Quarantine following an announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and adoption of guidance by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to reduce the isolation period after an individual is infected with COVID-19. As is required (because counties may not be less restrictive than the State), SFDPH’s updated Isolation and Quarantine guidance is in alignment with the CDPH changes.
Key changes include:
(The following apply to non-health care personnel. Health care personnel are subject to more health protective requirements.)
- Isolation following infection with COVID-19
- Shortened period of isolation for individuals infected with COVID-19 (i.e., tested positive, diagnosed with COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms and have not yet tested) from 10 days to 5 days since the onset of symptoms or since the first positive COVID-19 test, whichever is first. To leave isolation, the individual must test negative on day 5 and have no symptoms or meet other requirements. Individuals must wear masks while around others, indoors and outdoors, for a total of 10 days.
- Quarantine after close contact (Close contact: Close contact is being within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more in 24 hours, even if both people were wearing masks, regardless of vaccination status.)
- Individuals who are up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, for those who are eligible: No quarantine required. These individuals should test at day 5 after contact. They must wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days after contact. If symptoms develop, they should test and stay home.
- Unvaccinated individuals or those who are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines: These individuals must quarantine for at least 5 days after close contact. They should test on day 5. To leave quarantine, they must have a negative test collected on day 5 or later. They must wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, indoors and outdoors. If symptoms develop, they should test and stay home.
SFDPH has guidance available on how people can isolate and quarantine safely in their own home. For those needing guidance on how to set up space in your home to isolate or quarantine, arrange for food delivery, or receive mental health support, call the SFDPH COVID Resource Center at (628) 217-6101 and leave a message to get help.
San Francisco’s Isolation and Quarantine resource website, which will be updated soon, can be found here: https://www.sfdph.org/dph/COVID-19/Isolation-and-Quarantine.asp
Revised Isolation Directive: https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/files/Directive-2020-03-Isolation.pdf
Revised Quarantine Directive: https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/files/Directive-2020-02-Quarantine.pdf
The Health Advisory will be posted here: https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/files/C19-Isolationand-Quarantine-Health-Alert-2021-12.pdf