News Flash

For Immediate Release

05/06/2021    

COVID-19 Information

Phone: 980-432-1800
Website: www.rowancountync.gov/COVID-19
Email: covid-19@rowancountync.gov

Vaccine Information

Website: www.rowancountync.gov/COVIDvaccine
Onsite at vaccine clinics: Text rocopod to 888777 or tune into 88.7 FM for updates
Follow Us: www.facebook.com/rowancountyhealth 

Rowan County COVID-19 Case Information: https://bit.ly/rowan-covid19-hub

Rowan County Public Health Responds to Current COVID-19 Conditions with New Guidelines for Quarantine

Local public health authorities now have been given the authority to determine and to establish certain quarantine options for their own jurisdictions. Over the past year, many of us have seen how the act of quarantining has been used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. It has also been used to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 before a person knew they were sick or if they were infected, but had no symptoms. Following proper quarantine guidance means that an individual stays at home, separates themselves from others, monitors their health, and follows directions from their local health department. Quarantine is a public health tool and is used for other highly contagious conditions as well. It helps us all by preventing any additional potential spread of disease. 

COVID-19 is spread more in confined/enclosed spaces with poor ventilation, when crowds of people are together indoors or outdoors, and in close-contact settings, especially where people have conversations very near each other. Public health’s goal is to prevent the spread of illness and reduce unnecessary disease and death. We cannot achieve this goal without community support and willingness to follow the recommended guidelines. 

While the CDC and NC DHHS recommend a quarantine period of at least 14 days since the last date of exposure to COVID-19, current data demonstrates that only 2 percent of exposed persons develop any type of illness/symptoms after more than 10 days of the last exposure to COVID-19. This means that the quarantine period can be shortened with only a small increased risk of transmission. If one’s quarantine is discontinued before day 14, this individual must continue to monitor for symptoms and strictly adhere to all preventative measures (e.g., mask wearing, social distancing, etc.) until 14 days after the last date of exposure.

With these new protocols in place, please be reassured that Rowan County Public Health continues to monitor our community’s health measures. The health department actively monitors the total number of COVID-19 cases, the number of active COVID-19 cases, the percent positive from testing, and the number of hospitalizations in order to assess and determine the appropriate amount of time an individual should be quarantined. 

As the local public health authority, Rowan County Public Health currently allows for stopping quarantine after day 10 without testing AS LONG AS patients continue to monitor for symptoms for the remaining four days. If symptoms are present, immediate self-isolation is required and an individual should contact our agency or their healthcare provider right away.

We recognize that by reducing the number of required quarantine days, we may make it easier for people to be more compliant during the most critical time of transmission. By shortening the length of required days, more of our citizens may be able and more willing to practice these new standards without as many physical, mental, and/or economic hardships. In addition to this, a shorter quarantine period has also been shown to lessen the stress on the public health system, which is so important especially when new variants are emerging.

As new guidelines are put in place and as more restrictions continued to be lifted at the state level, we strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated, wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, wash your hands, avoid crowds, and to take other preventive steps to stop  the spread of COVID-19. 

For more information on where to receive a COVID vaccine locally, please visit CDC’s vaccine finder.

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Contact:
Amy Smith
704-216-8859
amy.smith@rowancountync.gov

Download Media Release COVID-19 - May 6, 2021 (PDF)