Erie County Department of Health issues statement regarding isolation and quarantine

Erie, PA - The Erie County Department of Health Director Melissa Lyon issued the following statement regarding isolation and quarantine related to COVID-19 in Erie County:

"The public needs to understand that the Erie County Department of Health is currently unable to contact the majority of persons diagnosed with COVID-19. If someone is told that they have COVID- 19 disease, immediately isolate yourself; do not wait until the health department contacts you to take this action. Stay in isolation for 10 days from when your symptoms started or 10 days from the test date if you did not have symptoms. You are out of isolation on day 11. Isolation means no contact with anyone in your household, or very minimal contact if it is not possible to use your own bathroom.

"Also think about people that you were in close contact with during the two days before your symptoms started, or two days before the date that the test sample was collected if you did not have symptoms before the test. This is the infectious period - the time that the virus can be spread to others.

"Close contact means within 6 feet or less, for 15 consecutive minutes or longer. Contact these people and tell them that you have COVID-19 disease. These people are at risk of getting COVID-19 disease based on their exposure to you.

"The incubation period for this virus is two to 14 days. Incubation is the time from when someone is exposed to when they could get the disease. Because it can take up to 14 days to show infection, these people need to quarantine. The quarantine length for people who are close contacts is 14 days from the date of last exposure to the person who has the disease. Release from quarantine is on day 15.

"Each and every one of us must take responsibility for controlling the spread of COVID-19 disease to our friend and families. Wear a mask, keep a 6-foot distance from anyone who doesn't live inside your home, wash your hands frequently, and stay home if you are sick."