National Restaurant Association - Follow CDC Guidelines on Isolation and Quarantine
The Association wants to remind operators to have—and update—policies that protect them and their employees.
The Association wants to remind operators to have—and update—policies that protect them and their employees.
The COVID-19 Operating Guidance(Opens in a new window) that the Association developed and regularly updates continues to carry vetted recommendations for safe operation during the coronavirus.
However, one recent change to guidance related to isolation and quarantine should be noted so you can adjust and update your policies accordingly.
On December 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made the following recommendations:
ISOLATION – If you have the virus
If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 (either through a rapid antigen test or PCR test) you should ISOLATE for 5 days. If at that time, or when you reach the following: you are either asymptomatic or the symptoms are resolving—described as having no fever (101.4°F) for 24 hours—you should consider a COVID-19 Rapid Test.
If the test is positive, you are advised to continue your isolation for 10 days from the day your symptoms started.
If the test is negative, you can end your isolation but are advised to wear a well-fitting mask(Opens in a new window) around other people until day 10 and then continue to wear it for 5 additional days.
If you cannot get a Rapid Test, you should wait to end your isolation until you are fever-free and other symptoms have improved. Continue to wear a well-fitting mask.
QUARANTINE – If you have been exposed to the virus
If you have been
- Exposed to the virus (defined as in close contact—within 6-ft.—for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period with someone who has COVID-19) and
- Are either unvaccinated or more than 6 months out from either the second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine dose or more than 2 months past the J&J dose, and
- Not yet boosted, you should QUARANTINE for 5 days and wear a properly fitted mask for an additional 5 days in any location.
If you have been fully vaccinated and boosted, you do not need to quarantine but should wear a properly fitted mask for 10 days after exposure.
To quarantine, stay home and away from other people for at least 5 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19. The date of your exposure is considered day 0. Wear a properly fitted mask when around others at home, if possible.
If symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) occur at any point during the quarantine, you should obtain a COVID-19 test to determine if the symptoms are COVID-19 or an unrelated illness.
If you test negative, you can leave your home, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask when around others at home and in public until 10 days after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19.
If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, refer to the ISOLATION protocol.
Check out the CDC’s guidance on Isolation vs. Quarantine here(Opens in a new window).