DOH reiterates quarantine guidelines for general population, healthcare workers

The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday has reiterated that the guidelines on quarantine and isolation for the general public and healthcare workers amid the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

In an advisory, the Health department said that “isolation and quarantine period for the general population has not changed.”

For the general population, the DOH said the isolation period for positive COVID-19 cases - asymptomatic, mild, moderate - is 10 days or “at the advice of your doctor” regardless if the patient is fully vaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or unvaccinated.

Patients who are COVID-19 positive and exhibit severe and critical symptoms shall be isolated for 21 days.

Close contacts, meanwhile, shall be quarantined for seven days if fully vaccinated and 14 days if incompletely vaccinated or unvaccinated.

“Meanwhile, for asymptomatic and fully vaccinated healthcare workers, isolation and quarantine may be reduced - not automatically but subject to the careful assessment of the Hospital’s Infection Prevention & Control Committee or the Provincial Health Office,” the agency said.

The Health department noted that hospitals’ infection prevention and control committees as well provincial health officers are authorized to shorten duration of isolation and quarantine of fully vaccinated health workers “in consideration of their healthcare capacity.”

The isolation for fully vaccinated COVID-19 positive healthcare workers can be shortened to up to five days from the current 10 days.

Fully vaccinated healthcare workers who became close contacts of a COVID-19 positive individual can no longer be quarantined, depending on hospital’s or provincial health officers’ assessment.

“Remember, if with symptoms, isolate immediately. That means, stay in your room/isolation facility at all times, and avoid sharing meals with family. And don’t forget to keep in touch with loved ones through online means,” the DOH said.

On Friday, DOH logged 21,819 new COVID-19 cases increasing the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 2,910,664 - the highest since September 12, which reported 21,411 cases.

On September 11, the Philippines logged a record-high 26,303 infections. -- BAP, GMA News