Sedgwick County residents who are exposed to people who are positive for COVID-19 can now quarantine for a shorter length of time, under new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The new guidelines apply to people who are close contacts or people who have traveled and do not have COVID-19 symptoms.  The guidance does not apply to people who have tested positive.

7-Day Quarantine – no symptoms and with testing

• After exposure, monitor yourself for symptoms daily for 14 full days. Infection can still develop through day 14.
• If you have no symptoms by Day 6, get a PCR test using a nasopharyngeal (nose) swab or a saliva sample.
  • Antigen and antibody tests are NOT allowed for this purpose.
• If the test is negative, and you remain symptom-free, you can leave in-home quarantine after seven full days, which is on Day 8.

10-Day Quarantine – no symptoms and no testing

• After exposure, monitor yourself for symptoms daily for 14 full days. Infection can still develop through day 14.
• If you have no symptoms during the 10 days, you can be released from quarantine without a test on Day 11.

People who develop symptoms or people who want to be tested while in quarantine can check the testing locator page on Sedgwick County’s web site at www.sedgwickcounty.org  Appointments can be made for testing by calling the Health Department at 660-1022.