Article by Stéphane Lévesque, L’Hebdo Journal, Local Journalism Initiative
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The Department of Health and Human Services announces that the isolation time for COVID-19 cases has been revised. This decision was made in consultation with the Institut national de santé publique du Québec.
“The evolution of our knowledge now allows us to shorten the duration of isolation for people with COVID-19, however we must ensure that other criteria are met, such as the absence of symptoms for 24 hours and fever for 48 hours. Once the isolation period is over, people are no longer considered contagious, but they must ensure that they follow the instructions that apply to the general population such as hand washing, wearing a face covering and physical distancing. », Explains Horacio Arruda, national director of public health.
Thus, for the majority of the population, the lifting of isolation is now possible 10 days after the onset of the first symptoms or, if the person is asymptomatic, 10 days after the date of the positive test for COVID-19. Until now, a person considered to be a confirmed case, either following a positive result or by epidemiological link, had to remain in isolation for a period of 14 days.
Note that even if the 10-day period has ended since the onset of symptoms, the following recovery criteria must be met to lift the isolation:
Have had no fever for at least 48 hours;
– No longer showing symptoms (excluding cough and loss of smell, which may last longer), for at least 24 hours.
It should be noted that this revision of the duration of isolation applies only to confirmed cases who are in isolation at home and whose illness is considered to be mild or moderate. Immunosuppressed people and people who have been hospitalized in intensive care due to COVID-19 should always self-isolate for a period of 21 days or more.
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