Health Ministry updates criteria for Quarantine release for Contacts of COVID-19 Cases

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The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment has updated the criteria that will be used to release contacts of COVID-19 cases from quarantine. This decision is in keeping with the recent recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO recommends quarantine of contacts of persons with confirmed or probable SARS CoV-2 infection for a duration of 14 days from the last interaction with the confirmed or probable case to minimize the risk of onward transmission.

WHO further recommends that persons who develop symptoms at any point in the 14-day quarantine period should be treated and managed as a suspected case of COVID-19 and tested. However, for contacts who do not develop symptoms, WHO does not recommend laboratory testing as a requirement for leaving quarantine after 14 days.

Therefore, effective immediately, the Ministry advises that contacts of COVID-19 cases in Antigua and Barbuda who remain asymptomatic, can be released from quarantine after 14 days from their last contact with the positive case WITHOUT requiring a COVID-19 test.

A COVID-19 contact is a person who has experienced any one of the following exposures during the 2 days before and the 14 days after the onset of symptoms of a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19:

1. face-to-face contact with someone who has a confirmed or probable SARS-CoV-2 infection within 1 metre and for more than 15 minutes;

2. direct physical contact with someone with a confirmed or probable SARS-CoV-2 infection;

3. direct care for an individual with a confirmed or probable SARS-CoV-2 infection without using appropriate personal protective equipment.

Please note that individuals with confirmed or probable SARS CoV-2 infection will still require a negative COVID-19 test to be released from isolation.

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8 COMMENTS

  1. Am I understanding this correctly?
    A ‘contact’ is bound to 14-days quarantine, with no opportunity to test negative on Day 3, 5 or 8 and then be released?
    Clarity please.

  2. Been in quarantine over 14 days now.. From the very first day I came to the hospital and was tested the doctors day “we have no reasons for keeping you here”.. Day to day There after each nurse and doctor tell me what they want me to hear.
    I have a home I can go to to isolate but each day they turn their stories.. Everyone (covid patient) comes here and leaves,even under 24hrs.
    On a day to day basis vitals are checked on me and I’m medically fit to be released from this place everyday the find something different to do wen I catch on on their plays wit me and I’m here like “Wat shall i do”..like someone who just owns a dolly house preferred A puppet doll,and I was chosen..
    I need to go home

  3. Would it not be clearer to say “quarantine will end”, instead of “can be released”…unless I’m not understanding correctly? The concept of quarantine does not lend itself to self-release. No criticism, just asking a bit more clarity. Thanks

  4. None of my family members who “we all live together” were tested..
    These places and SOME people who live in it is just a whole mess..
    Treated by nurses and doctors with the same gloves they used on other patients and they refuse to sanitize equipments for future use.

  7. Every day someone come in contact with someone knowingly or unknowingly, no signs or symptoms but one will have to quarantine, health care workers work hard and long hours with covid patients is quarantine necessary for them with no signs or symptoms for them? I thought wearing of mask and washing hands works

  8. Since I saw this article, I called MOH only to be told I should still be quarantine. It’s been 23 days since a “fully vaccinated” family member tested positive and I have been negative. I have no clinical manifestations and I am resteded whenever that family member gets retested also. The test is not a nice feeling and I have to keep retesting, still gets a negative PCR reading though the person is positive and yet still i am told that I should remain in quarantine until the person is cleared since we live in the same household. According to my research one can most likely be able to spread the virus just before they begun having symptoms and up to 10 days of having symptoms.
    I
    This is ridiculous they dont care about people’s mental health, being confined to a house especially if the person is independent and has no one that they can call to do anything for them.

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