LAKE COUNTY — With the increase in COVID-19 cases across the state of Michigan, including northern Michigan, District Health Department No. 10 said individuals might not receive a call from right away.
To help stop the spread of the virus, health department is asking residents to initiate quarantine and isolation on their own.
DHD No. 10 said in a news release Tuesday that if an individual has been notified by a lab or any other provider that they have tested positive for COVID-19, they need to take the following action:
• Isolate right away for 10 days from the start of symptoms, or if no symptoms, from the positive test date. Isolation keeps someone who is infected with the virus away from others, even in their home.
• Positive individuals should notify all close contacts so they can begin quarantine. Close contacts are people who have been within 6 feet or less of the infected individual for a cumulative 15 minutes or more in a 24-hour period; these 15 minutes do not need to be consecutive minutes. The timeline for close contacts begins two days (48 hours) prior to symptoms starting, or from the positive test date.
• Individuals may resume normal activities when it has been 10 days since symptoms began, or if no symptoms, 10 days from the positive test date, and they have been fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medications, and other symptoms like cough or shortness of breath have improved.
• Individuals can be vaccinated after the completion of the isolation period as long as they feel better. To schedule a vaccination appointment with DHD No. 10, visit dhd10.org/schedule.
According to the health department, if an individual has been notified that they are a close contact to a positive COVID-19 individual, they need to take the following action:
• Quarantine right away for 14 days from the last close contact with a COVID-19 positive person.
• Individuals may resume normal activities 14 days from last exposure AND as long as they have not begun displaying COVID-19 symptoms.
• Individuals can be vaccinated after the completion of the quarantine period as long as no symptoms are displayed.
For questions, email covid@dhd10.org. For more COVID-19 vaccine information, visit dhd10.org/covid-19-vaccine. To stay informed, sign up for Public Health Alerts at dhd10.org/subscribe.
