Pennsylvania aligns with CDC’s new coronavirus quarantine guidelines: Here’s what that means

PITTSBURGH — The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced changes to its COVID-19 quarantine guidelines, aligning with new recommendations from the CDC.

The new guidelines, which were released earlier this week, provide an option for a 10-day quarantine or seven-day quarantine with a negative test after Day 5.

“We must stop the spread of this virus and quarantining once you have been exposed is essential,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a release. “The incubation period for COVID-19 remains at 14 days and it is still most protective to quarantine for the full two weeks. However, the CDC has affirmed that quarantine can end after 10 days if the person doesn’t develop symptoms, or after seven days if the person tests negative and has no symptoms.”

There are two new options instead of automatically quarantining for 14 days:

• If you take a test seven days after being exposed — and it’s negative — you can stop quarantining.
• If you haven’t experienced any symptoms by day 10, and didn’t get a test, your quarantine can end.

Health officials said quarantine can not be shortened to less than seven days, and the CDC recommends people who have been exposed to monitor their symptoms for the full two-week period.

This new recommendation also applies to the recent travel orders Levine issued last week.

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Cox Media Group