03/02/2022

You Asked... We Answered 3/1/22

You Asked: 

Have transmission-based precautions been reduced from 14 days to 10 days for individuals being cared for in healthcare settings, including home health?

We Answered: 

Yes, patients/residents/clients can be removed from quarantine after 10 days. Guidance on transmission-based precautions (TBP) can be found on the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic webpage: 

Empiric use of Transmission-Based Precautions (quarantine) is recommended for patients who have had close contact with someone with SARS-CoV-2 infection if they are not up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses.

In general, quarantine is not needed for asymptomatic patients who are up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses or who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection in the prior 90 days; potential exceptions are described in the guidance. However, some of these patients should still be tested as described in the testing section of the guidance.

Patients placed in empiric Transmission-Based Precautions based on close contact with someone with SARS-CoV-2 infection should be maintained in Transmission-Based Precautions for the following time periods.

Patients can be removed from Transmission-Based Precautions after day 10 following the exposure (day 0) if they do not develop symptoms. Although the residual risk of infection is low, healthcare providers could consider testing for SARS-CoV-2 within 48 hours before the time of planned discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions 

Patients can be removed from Transmission-Based Precautions after day 7 following the exposure (day 0) if a viral test is negative for SARS-CoV-2 and they do not develop symptoms.  The specimen should be collected and tested within 48 hours before the time of planned discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions

A test-based strategy and (if available) consultation with infectious disease experts is now recommended for determining the duration of Transmission-Based Precautions for patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.

Additional guidance can be found on the CDC’s Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Spread in Nursing Homes webpage:

The managing new admission guidance states that residents who are not up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses and are new admissions and readmissions should be placed in quarantine. Residents who are up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses and residents who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection in the prior 90 days do not need to be placed in quarantine. Residents can be removed from Transmission-Based Precautions after day 10 following the exposure (day 0) if they do not develop symptoms. Although the residual risk of infection is low, healthcare providers could consider testing for SARS-CoV-2 within 48 hours before the time of planned discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions. Residents can be removed from Transmission-Based Precautions after day 7 following the exposure (day 0) if a viral test is negative for SARS-CoV-2 and they do not develop symptoms. The specimen should be collected and tested within 48 hours before the time of planned discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions. 

The CDC webpages provide additional guidance on discontinuation of transmission-based precautions. We encourage members to continue to submit questions to COVID19@leadingageohio.org.