Information on COVID-19 Quarantine Orders

STATE OF NEW YORK
COUNTY OF CATTARAUGUS: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

WHEREAS, 2019 novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been declared a communicable disease by the New York State Health Commissioner pursuant to §2.1(a) of the New York State Sanitary Code [10 NYCRR Chapter 1], and a reportable condition to the Cattaraugus County Health Department (the "Department") pursuant to §2101 of the New York State Public Health Law; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued containment guidance which mandates the quarantine of individuals who have been a close contact. A close contact is defined as:

General Public Setting: persons who are within 6 feet of a positive COVID-19 case for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during a time the case was infectious, regardless if masks were worn,

Pre-K to Grade 12 School Indoor Classroom Setting: students being within 3 feet or teachers/staff who are within 6 feet from the positive COVID-19 case for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during a time the case was infectious, regardless if masks were worn; and

WHEREAS, such containment guidance further directs local health departments to consider other factors such as proximity of contact and duration of exposure when deciding whether an exposure resulted in a close contact and therefore warrants mandatory quarantine; and

WHEREAS, the Department has received a report, pursuant to §2.10 of the State Sanitary Code and to §2101 of the New York State Public Health Law, that you have come in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to §2100 and §2120 of the New York State Public Health Law and

§2.6 of the State Sanitary Code, the Department is authorized to take such steps as may be necessary to mitigate morbidity and mortality and to prevent transmission of disease to other persons; and

WHEREAS, the Department has determined that, in order to mitigate morbidity and mortality from COVID-19, that you must be confined to your home under such conditions as will prevent transmission of COVID-19 to others.

THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that you remain within the premises of your home and follow the precautions and directions specified in the attached COVID-19 QUARANTINE INSTRUCTIONS (the "INSTRUCTIONS") and any additional instructions given by the Department to you by phone or in person. You may not leave these premises for any reason, including to go to work, or to attend school, unless authorized by the Department;

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that you may not have direct personal contact with other persons who do not reside in your home except as authorized by the Department; and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that you shall cooperate with the Department’s efforts to monitor your compliance with this Order and the infection control measures outlined on the attached INSTRUCTIONS.

This Order shall remain in effect until you have quarantined for five (5) days following the last day of exposure to the COVID- 19 positive case and have remained asymptomatic during the quarantine period.

Exemptions to the quarantine include:

1.  An asymptomatic close contact who has received a booster, completed the primary series of Pfizer vaccine within the last 5 months (> 2 weeks following the receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series), or completed the primary series of Moderna vaccine within the last 6  months (> 2 weeks following the receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series), or has completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months, (> 2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose series) and has remained asymptomatic will not need to quarantine, but must wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after last date of exposure;
   OR
2. An asymptomatic close contact who has been previously diagnosed with laboratory confirmed COVID-19, has since recovered, and completed their isolation period will not need to quarantine for the 90 days following the end of their isolation as long as they remain asymptomatic, but must wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after last date of exposure;

This Order is the final administrative determination of the County of Cattaraugus in this matter. You may challenge the final determination by commencing a proceeding in the New York State Supreme Court pursuant to Article 78 of the New York State Civil Practice Law and Rules.             

DATED: January 5, 2022      

                                                ______________________________________________

                                                Kevin D. Watkins, MD, MPH

                                                PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR

                                                COUNTY OF CATTARAUGUS

WARNING

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS ORDER MAY SUBJECT YOU TO FURTHER ACTION BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR, INCLUDING INVOLUNTARY DETENTION IN AN APPROPRIATE FACILITY OTHER THAN THE ONE SPECIFIED ABOVE, OR SUCH OTHER ACTION AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR MAY DEEM NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OTHERS.  FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS ORDER IS A VIOLATION OF THE CATTARAUGUS COUNTY SANITARY CODE ARTICLE I §5(a)(v), FOR WHICH YOU MAY BE SUBJECT TO CIVIL PENALTIES. FURTHERMORE, WILLFUL VIOLATION OF OR REFUSAL TO COMPLY WITH A HEALTH ORDER IS A MISDEMEANOR UNDER NEW YORK PUBLIC HEALTH LAW SECTION 12-B.

LOGO_PHAB

Attachment A – Mandatory Instructions

You must follow the instructions listed below for five (5) days following the last day of exposure to the COVID-19 positive case , or until County Health Department staff say that you can return to your normal activities.

Stay home except to get medical care

You must not participate in any activities outside your home, except for getting medical care that is preapproved by the County Health Department. Do not go to work, school, or public areas. If you are leaving your home for pre-approved medical care, seek County Health Department approval for transportation. A private vehicle is preferred, but if not available, follow instructions of the County Health Department.

Separate yourself from other people

Stay in a specific room, except for such reasonable accommodations, such as to use the bathroom or other areas that you can use without coming into contact with other persons in the home. You must remain at least 6 feet away from other people in your home. If the bathroom is shared with others, it must be cleaned after your use, and before a non-infected person uses the facility, in accordance with the instructions below concerning “high-touch” surfaces.

Call ahead before visiting your doctor

If you have a medical appointment, seek pre-approval from the County Health Department. If approved, call the healthcare provider and tell them that you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the healthcare provider’s office take steps to keep other people from getting infected or exposed.

Wear a facemask

If at all possible, you must wear a facemask if/when you are required to be around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing or because you cannot obtain one), people who live with you must wear a facemask if they enter your room, if possible.

Cover your coughs and sneezes

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw used tissues in a lined trash can; immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry. Use soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Clean your hands often

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry. Use soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Do not touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Do not share personal household items

You must not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home. After using these items, they must be washed thoroughly with soap and water.

Clean all “high-touch” surfaces everyday

Any high-touch surfaces, including counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables, must be disinfected frequently. Also, clean any surfaces that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them. Use a household cleaning spray or wipe, and follow the label instructions.

Monitor your symptoms

Seek prompt medical attention if your illness is worsening (e.g., difficulty breathing). Before seeking care, call your healthcare provider and tell them that you have or may have COVID-19. If at all possible, put on a facemask before you enter the facility. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing or because you cannot obtain one), ask the healthcare facility for one as soon as you can. This will help the healthcare provider’s office take steps to keep other people from getting infected or exposed. Before seeking care, notify the County Health Department that you are developing symptoms, and obtain approval for your method of travel.

If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify the dispatch personnel that you have, or are being evaluated for COVID-19. If possible, put on a facemask before emergency medical services arrive.

Instructions for household members

Give any other members of your household the following instructions:

• Make sure that you understand and can help the person follow their healthcare provider’s instructions for medication(s) and care. Help the person with basic needs in the home and provide support for getting groceries, prescriptions, and other personal needs. If you are unable to do so, notify the County Health Department and they will assist you in providing these essential services.
• Monitor the person’s symptoms. If the person gets sick or is getting sicker, call his or her healthcare provider and tell them that the patient has laboratory-confirmed or suspected COVID-19. This will help the healthcare provider’s office take steps to keep other people in the office or waiting room from getting infected. Ask the healthcare provider to call the local or state health department for additional guidance. If the patient has a medical emergency and you need to call 911, notify the dispatch personnel that the patient has, or is being evaluated for, COVID-19. In both cases, you must also notify the County Health Department.
• Household members must be separated from the patient as much as possible, and in all cases, must not share a bedroom with the patient. Household members should use a separate bathroom, if available, and if not, must ensure it is disinfected prior to sharing.
• Prohibit visitors who do not have an essential need to be in the home.
• Household members should care for any pets in the home. Do not handle pets or other animals while sick. 
• Make sure that shared spaces in the home have good air flow, such as by an air conditioner or an opened window, weather permitting.
• Perform hand hygiene frequently. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly dirty.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Wear a facemask if you are going to be in the same room as the person under quarantine.
• Wear a disposable facemask and gloves when you touch or have contact with the patient’s blood, stool, or body fluids, such as saliva, sputum, nasal mucus, vomit, or urine.
  • Throw out disposable facemasks and gloves after using them. Do not reuse them.
  • When removing personal protective equipment, first remove and dispose of gloves. Then, immediately clean your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Next, remove and dispose of facemask, and immediately clean your hands again with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Do not share household items with the patient such as dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, bedding, or other items. After the patient uses these items, you must wash them thoroughly.
• Clean all “high-touch” surfaces, such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables, every day. Also, clean any surfaces that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them.
  • Use a household cleaning spray or wipe, according to the label instructions.
• Wash laundry thoroughly.
  • Immediately remove and wash clothes or bedding at high temperature that have blood, stool, or body fluids on them.
  • Wear disposable gloves, if available, while handling soiled items and keep soiled items away from your body. Clean your hands (with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer) immediately after removing your gloves.
  • Dry thoroughly using the warmest temperatures recommended on the clothing label.
• Place all used disposable gloves, facemasks, and other contaminated items in a lined container before disposing of them with other household waste. Clean your hands (with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer) immediately after handling these items. Use soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• Discuss any additional questions with the County Health Department or your healthcare provider.