The medical officer of health in Chatham-Kent is keeping the COVID-19 quarantine period at 14 days despite a change of heart by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC is providing U.S. public health agencies with two options to shorten the length of quarantine -- 10 days without testing and seven days after receiving a negative test result. However, the CDC still endorses quarantining for 14 days.
CK Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby said the 14 days isolation has worked well and we really need to stick to the 14 day period if there's an exposure.
"By 10 days, anybody who is going to have a positive test will have one. Basically, somebody could have a negative test and become infectious and positive the very next day," said Colby. "If there is an exposure we need to maintain that 14-day isolation period. So, this strategy of simply testing and then forgetting about the precautions is a fool's game."
Colby said there has been little discussion about changing the general quarantine period in Ontario.
"The 14-day incubation period and federal quarantine period has worked well as long as people adhere to it," Colby said.
Colby said the incubation period (time between getting infected to time of symptoms) for the virus is up to 14 days and it takes between four days and 10 days before an individual can test positive.
Premier Doug Ford is pressing the federal government to reduce the 14-day isolation for travellers returning to Canada.
