Health Unit Has New Recommendations for Households Awaiting COVID-19 Test Results

Monday, 14 December 2020 13:18

Starting today, Southwestern Public Health is asking entire households of symptomatic people waiting for COVID-19 test results to self-isolate.

OXFORD COUNTY - Southwestern Public Health has new advice for household members of symptomatic people waiting for COVID-19 test results.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Joyce Lock says they are asking people to self isolate until the test results come back.

"COVID-19 spreads when people have close contact with each other. Our case history has many examples of multi-member households infected with the virus. For this reason, we’re asking everyone in the household to stay home until COVID is ruled out for the symptomatic individual. We must all work together to break the trend of household members unknowingly bringing COVID-19 to their workplace, to schools, and the broader community.”

Under the new recommendation, entire households are asked to self-isolate alongside their symptomatic household member until COVID-19 can be ruled out. Dr. Lock recommends that no one in the household should attend work or school outside of the home, attend child care, or run errands in the community while results are pending.

The advice comes as the health unit’s local epidemiology data indicates 30% of the region's cases acquired COVID-19 at home.

Effective December 14, 2020, Dr. Lock recommends the following measures:

• Get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms, even if they are mild.

• Self-isolate at home while you wait to receive your COVID-19 test results. Do not go to work or school outside of the home, attend child care, or run errands in the community until your test results rule out COVID-19.

• Self-isolate if you live with a symptomatic individual waiting for test results.

• If negative, discontinue self-isolation; if positive, continue isolating as directed by public health.

• If an individual is sick but chooses not to get tested, all household members are advised to selfisolate for at least 14 days.