New guidance released by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) allows Local Public Health Authorities to consider a shortened quarantine period for a person with COVID-19.

OHA is now recommending a 10-day quarantine or a seven-day quarantine with a negative COVID-19 test as acceptable. The shortened quarantine option is not recommended in high-risk settings such as long-term care facilities and other residential care settings.

However, in all cases, a 14-day quarantine is the safest option to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Revised guidance for this new recommendation is being finalized.

People who have been fully vaccinated are not required to quarantine even after exposure to a person with COVID-19. A person is considered fully vaccinated if it has been two weeks or longer since they received the final dose of their vaccine series. People who are fully vaccinated are still encouraged to isolate and seek testing if they develop symptoms of COVID-19.

This article first appeared in the June 7, 2021 issue of Oregon Coronavirus Update.