It appears COVID-19 numbers are trending lower nationwide.
The latest weekly report from Lyon County Public Health bore that out locally, with 51 new cases — barely half those reported Aug. 10.
On KVOE’s Morning Show this week, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern said she’s pleased to see this trend, although all indications are the weekly stats have been underreported for weeks.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made some notable changes to its overall guidance. Millbern says one takeaway is the essential end of quarantine for close contacts, meaning a greater emphasis on personal responsibility for exposed residents.
At-home tests are now widely available, so Millbern says residents should test after the fifth day, and they should re-test again once or maybe twice, 48 hours apart, even if the initial test is negative.
For isolation of infected residents, Millbern says there is still a five-day period to separate from everybody, regardless of symptoms. If symptoms have resolved by the sixth day, people can go back to their normal schedule but they should wear masks. Infected residents should test after day five to see if they are clear.
