Isolation and Quarantine Order

ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF MARIN MANDATING ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS TO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AND RESCINDING PRIOR PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS RELATED TO COVID-19

DATE OF ORDER: June 14, 2021

Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. (California Health and Safety Code § 120295, et seq.; Cal. Penal Code §§ 69, 148(a)(1).)

UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTIONS 101040, 101085, AND 120175, THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF MARIN (“HEALTH OFFICER”) ORDERS:

1. Summary. The public health threat from COVID-19 is decreasing in the County of Marin (“County”). Vaccines are the most effective method for preventing COVID-19 cases and deaths and for preventing transmission of COVID-19. With over 70% of the County population aged 12 and over having completed their COVID-19 vaccine series, the County has made significant progress reducing the spread of COVID-19. As of the effective date of this Order, the COVID-19 transmission risk within the County is minimal. However, COVID-19 continues to pose a risk, especially to residents of the County who are not fully vaccinated. This Order continues to mandate that certain individuals, as specified below, isolate or quarantine themselves to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This Order also rescinds many of the public health officer orders issued to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Purpose and Intent. This Order (hereinafter “Order”) supersedes the May 20, 2020 Public Health Emergency Isolation Order and the May 20, 2020 Public Health Emergency Quarantine Order as of the effective date of this Order. This Order also rescinds the following orders: April 28, 2021 Risk Reduction Order; September 2, 2020 Order Mandating Influenza Vaccination for Staff at Health Care and Specified Congregate Care Facilities; June 8, 2020 Order Requiring COVID-19 Testing of Residents and Personnel at Certain Residential Facilities and Requiring those Facilities to Comply with Testing, Reporting, and Guidance Requirements of the Marin County Health Services Department; May 29, 2020 Order Lifting All Restrictions on Motorized Access to Parks and Open Spaces; May 15, 2020 Required Best Practices for Golf Courses and Racket Clubs; April 27, 2020 Standing Order for COVID-19 Congregate Care Testing; and the March 24, 2020 Order to Report Testing Results, as of the effective date of this Order.

3. Isolation. All individuals who have been diagnosed with or are likely to have COVID-19 must isolate themselves. These persons are required to follow all instructions in this Order and the public health guidance documents referenced in this Order.
   
   1. All individuals who have been diagnosed with or likely to have COVID-19 must immediately take the following actions:
      
      1. Isolate themselves in their home or another residence.  They may not leave their place of isolation or enter any other public or private place, except to receive necessary medical care.
      2. Carefully review and closely follow all requirements listed in the California Department of Public Health’s “Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for COVID-19 Contact Tracing.”
      3. Tell their Close Contacts that they need to quarantine themselves pursuant to Section 4 of this Order. Close Contacts who should be notified to self-quarantine are people who were with them during their infectious period. The infectious period starts from 48 hours before symptoms began (or the date of the positive test if no symptoms) and ends when the isolation period is over (see Section 3.c below). Close Contacts are persons who:
         1. Live in or have stayed at their residence;
         2. Are intimate sexual partners; OR
         3. Provide or provided care to them without wearing a mask, gown, and gloves; OR
         4. Were within six feet of them for 15 minutes or longer total accumulated time over any given 24 hour period.
      4. Refer Close Contacts to the California Department of Public Health’s “Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for COVID-19 Contact Tracing,” which describe steps that household contacts, intimate partners, caregivers and others as determined by the disease control program must take to prevent spread of COVID-19. Close Contacts have likely been exposed to COVID-19 and if infected, can easily spread COVID-19 to others, even if they have only mild symptoms.
   2. Individuals who have been diagnosed or suspected to have COVID-19 are required to isolate themselves. This determination is based on one or more of the following factors:
      
      1. A positive lab test for the coronavirus (known as SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19; OR
      2. Signs and symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19 within 14 days of being in close contact with a person who had or was believed to have had COVID-19; OR
      3. A healthcare provider has informed the individual that they are likely to have COVID-19.

           Self-isolation is required because a person infected with or likely to have COVID-19 can easily spread the virus to others. Isolation separates these ill individuals from others to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

1. 3. Isolated individuals must isolate themselves in a residence and follow all directions in this Order until they are no longer at risk for spreading COVID-19 based on the following criteria:
      
      1. At least 1 day (24 hours) have passed since recovery, defined as resolution of both fever without use of fever-reducing medications and improvement of cough, shortness of breath and other symptoms; AND
      2. At least 10 days have passed since their symptoms started; whichever is later.
      3. Individuals with a positive test who never develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 must isolate for 10 days from date of test.

4. Quarantine. Except as provided in Section 4.b, all Close Contacts, as defined in Section 3.a.iii above, of a person with COVID-19 must quarantine themselves. These persons are required to follow all instructions of this Order and the public health guidance documents referenced in this Order.
   
   1. Quarantine Requirements for Close Contacts.  All individuals who have been identified as Close Contacts to a person with COVID-19 must immediately take the following actions:
      
      1. Stay in their home or another residence through 10 days from the last date that they were in contact with the person infected or likely to be infected with COVID-19. Individuals are required to quarantine themselves for the entirety of the 10-day incubation period because they are at high risk for developing and spreading COVID-19.
      2. Quarantined persons may not leave their place of quarantine or enter any other public or private place except to receive necessary medical care.
      3. Carefully review and closely follow all requirements listed in the California Department of Public Health’s “Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for COVID-19 Contact Tracing,”
      4. If a quarantined person becomes sick with fever, cough, or shortness of breath (even if their symptoms are very mild), they should isolate themselves at home and away from other people, contact their medical provider, and follow the California Department of Public Health’s “Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for COVID-19 Contact Tracing. This is because they are likely to have COVID-19 and if so, can spread it to vulnerable individuals.
   2. Fully vaccinated persons do not need to comply with the quarantine requirements in this Order if they are asymptomatic, as specified in the California Department of Public Health’s “Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.” A person is considered fully vaccinated if it has been 2 weeks or longer since the receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose FDA-authorized vaccine series, or it has been 2 weeks or longer since the receipt of one dose in a single-dose FDA authorized vaccine. A person is also considered to be fully vaccinated 2 weeks or longer after completing a World Health Organization-authorized vaccine series.

5. Additional Actions and Violations. The Health Officer may take additional action(s), which may include civil detention or requiring an individual to stay at a health facility or other location, to protect the public’s health if an individual who is subject to this Order violates or fails to comply with this Order. Violation of this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment, fine, or both. (California Health and Safety Code § 120295, et seq.; Cal. Penal Code §§ 69, 148(a)(1).)

6. Effective Date. This Order shall become effective June 15, 2021. This Order shall continue to be in effect until it is rescinded, superseded, or amended in writing by the Health Officer.

7. Copies of this Order shall promptly be: (1) made available at the Bulletin Board adjacent to the entrance to the Chambers of the Board of Supervisors, Room 330, Administration Building, and in the display case in the center arch of the Hall of Justice, Marin County Civic Center, San Rafael, California; (2) posted on the County of Marin website (www.marincounty.org as well as the County of Marin Department of Health and Human Services website (www.marinhhs.org); and (3) provided to any member of the public requesting a copy of this Order.

8. Severability. If any provision of this Order or its application to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of the Order, including the application of such part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect.  To this end, the provisions of this Order are severable.

IT IS SO ORDERED:

_______________________________

Matt Willis MD, MPH                                                                        Dated: June 14, 2021
Health Officer of the County of Marin