14 Day Quarantine for Close Contacts of COVID-19 Reinstated

Monday April 12, 2021

Health Department reminds residents to practice mitigation strategies

The Branch Hillsdale St. Joseph Community Health Agency (BHSJCHA) has experienced an increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases being reported and variant spread, similar to the rest of Michigan, in the last few weeks. BHSJCHA is following MDHHS guidance on reinstituting a standard 14-day quarantine for close contacts of COVID-19 cases. This will remove the option of a 10-day quarantine for non-variant cases.

Due to increased cases, there may also be a delay in contacting someone who tests positive for the virus or has been in close contact to someone who has COVID-19. If you receive a positive COVID-19 test result, isolate for a minimum of 10 days from the start of your symptom(s) or your positive test date if you didn’t have symptoms. Notify your close contacts that they may have been exposed and encourage them to quarantine for 14 days from their last date of contact with you. If you know you are a close contact, start self-quarantine.

Residents are urged to continue taking precautions to slow the spread of the virus. Continued diligence with social distancing, hand hygiene, use of face coverings,and remaining at home if feeling signs of illness are crucial at this time. In addition to these personal prevention actions, community members 16 years of age and older are also strongly encouraged to consider receiving a COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and those around them. Vaccine appointments can be made on the BHSJCHA website at www.bhsj.org or a list of pharmacies scheduling vaccine appointments near you can be found at vaccinefinder.org. View Site