CDC Revises Quarantine Timeframe After COVID-19 Exposure

On Wednesday, December 2, 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) issued new guidance regarding the timeframe in which a person should quarantine after being exposed to someone with COVID-19.  Although the CDC still recommends a 14-days quarantine as “the best way” to reduce the risk of COVID-19, it has identified two “acceptable alternatives.”  In particular, the CDC stated that an individual who has had “close contact” with a person infected with COVID-19 may quarantine for 7 days if he/she is asymptomatic receives a negative COVID-19 test or, alternatively, 10 days if he/she is asymptomatic and has not had a test.  The CDC reiterated that “close contact” means that an individual has been within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset or positive test result. 

It is unclear if, in light of this updated guidance from the CDC, the Commonwealth will revisit its November 17th travel order, which requires Pennsylvanians returning from interstate travel to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before returning to the Commonwealth or, alternatively, quarantining for 14 days upon returning.  Similarly, it is unclear if the Commonwealth will revise its November 23rd mitigation order, which requires employees who are a “close contact” of someone who is diagnosed with or tests positive for COVID-19 (or, alternatively, is diagnosed with or tests positive for COVID-19 him/herself) to quarantine for 14 days, even if he/she tests negative for COVID-19.

Nevertheless, employers may want to revisit and if, necessary, revise their pandemic response plans to incorporate these new timeframes. For questions about this or any other labor and employment law topic, please do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at Hoffman & Hlavac.  To stay updated on the key labor and employment law developments that affect your workplace, be sure to subscribe to our blog and follow us on social media.