Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Monday.
The new guidelines recently released by the CDC are still under review locally. Saline County Health officials are seeking additional clarification and answers from the state on certain aspects of the new guidelines. Thus far no changes have been made in Saline County. Each case is unique and is reviewed by a case investigator who will advise you on your quarantine and isolation requirements. As it stands today:
Cases need to isolate at home for 10 days from the onset of symptoms or test date if asymptomatic. Contacts to a positive case quarantine 10 days from the last date of contact, but continue to monitor symptoms for 14 days after exposure. Contacts within a household may have to quarantine 10 days past when the positive case in the home concludes isolation. This will be discussed when a COVID investigator calls them.
A child who is exposed at school is considered a contact to a case. The contact to a positive case is the only one who needs to quarantine. If that child would become infected with COVID then there would be other home exposure. As a contact, no one else needs to quarantine in the household.
If a contact has been fully vaccinated (2 weeks after the second vaccine) or someone had a confirmed positive COVID test in the last 6 months; recommended they wear masks and monitor symptoms for 14 days after exposure.
●Another member of our community has lost their life to COVID-19 since our last update on December 29.
●There have been 178 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update (on Wednesday).
●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 25 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.
●The Saline County Health Department is actively monitoring 858 cases.
●Saline County residents testing positive for COVID may be contacted by tracers at the Saline County Health Department or Kansas Department of Health and Environment. It is vital that you speak directly with a contact tracer as soon as possible after your positive result.
More data and additional information can be found on the Saline County Coronavirus webpage, and CDC COVID-19 Tracker.
Click here for local COVID-19 testing options
Click here for vaccination locations
The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thus prevent mutation of the virus is:
●Stay home if you are sick.
●Get tested if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID. You can find testing centers at VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing or contact your local medical provider.
●Get vaccinated. You can find a vaccine at vaccines.gov or contact your local medical provider.
●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.
●Maintain at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and those with whom you do not live.
●Do not travel to “hot spots."
●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.