BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - To help slow the spread of COVID-19 and to protect vulnerable individuals, the Butte County Public Health (BCPH) Officer, Dr. David Canton, has issued local Health Officer Orders mandating that individuals, as specified in the order, isolate or quarantine themselves to prevent the spread of COVID-19 – pursuant to California Health and Safety Code 120175.

The Isolation and Quarantine Orders are effective immediately for Butte County.

These Orders are issued to protect vulnerable members of the public from avoidable risk of serious illness or death resulting from exposure to COVID-19. All individuals who are exposed to someone with COVID-19 or contract COVID-19, regardless of their level of symptoms (none, mild or severe), may place other vulnerable members of the public at significant risk.

What does the Local Public Health Isolation and Quarantine Order require?

Self-Isolation: Individuals who have received a positive antigen or molecular (PCR) lab test for COVID-19, who are symptomatic with 14 days of being in close contact with a person who had or was believed to have had COVID-19 or if a healthcare provider has informed the individual that they are likely to have COVID-19 must self-isolate at their home or another residence.

Carefully review and closely follow all requirements listed in the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for COVID-19 Contact Tracing. K-12 students are required to follow the CDPH COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California.

Notify their Close Contacts that they need to self-quarantine, and then refer these individuals to the CDPH Self-Quarantine Instructions for Individuals Exposed to COVID-19 and the Butte County Quarantine Order.

Self-Quarantine: Applies to close contacts within six (6) feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of fifteen (15) minutes or more over a 24-hour period to a person with COVID-19 during their infectious period, which begins 48 hours before symptoms began (or, in the absence of symptoms, 48 hours prior to the date of the first positive test).

Individuals who are defined as close contacts of a person with COVID-19 must quarantine themselves and follow the CDPH Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for COVID-19 Contact Tracing.

Fully vaccinated persons are not obligated to comply with quarantine requirements if they do not show signs or symptoms. Fully vaccinated persons are recommended to be tested 3-5 days after exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days after exposure. These individuals may refer to the CDPH Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.