4/16/2021

Adjustments to length of quarantine in Missoula County

Last week, the Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD) implemented a shortened quarantine of seven days for close contacts who meet the criteria set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to do so.

A close contact is an individual who has collectively spent 15 or more minutes within six feet of a person infected with COVID-19 during a period of time in which that infected person was
contagious.

Close contacts who remain symptom-free since their exposure and receive a negative PCR test result on/after day five after they were exposed to the virus will now be released from quarantine after seven days. The Health Department’s team will need to receive and verify documentation of that negative PCR test prior to the close contact’s release from quarantine. If those criteria are met
after the seven days the close contact will be released immediately. Individuals cannot be released from quarantine until they are officially released by Health Department staff.

When our MCPS nurses send families our Stay Home Request, we will still use the 10-day exclusion period on our requests. If the health department works with the close contacts to release them on day 7 after a negative PCR test, we will ask the family to show us documentation of that release before the student can return to the classroom or school activities.

Not every close contact will be eligible for a seven day quarantine. Those who remain symptom-free
since their exposure, but decline to be tested for COVID-19 will be released from quarantine after
10 days.

Close contacts who report any history of symptoms since their exposure to COVID-19 will not be
eligible for release earlier than 14 days. This includes close contacts who report mild symptoms
or those who attribute their symptoms to chronic conditions.

Individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, who are 14 days out from their final dose, will not be required to quarantine if they are exposed to COVID-19, so long as they do not  develop symptoms.