The new quarantine rules

Duration and termination of quarantine and isolation due to coronavirus: the Ministry of Health has published a new circular with the new rules to follow “taking into account the evolution of the epidemiological situation, the new scientific evidence, the indications – explains the ministry – of some international organizations (WHO and Ecdc) and the opinion formulated by the Committee Technician-scientist “in yesterday’s meeting.

The circular The ministry clarifies the difference between isolation and quarantine. Isolation of the documented cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection refer to the separation of infected persons from the rest of the community during the contagious period, in an environment and conditions that prevent the transmission of infection. There quarantineInstead, it refers to the restriction of the movement of healthy people during the incubation period, but who may have been exposed to an infectious agent or a contagious disease, with the aim of monitoring the possible appearance of symptoms and identifying timely new cases .

Asymptomatic positives

the asymptomatic people tested positive for Sars-Cov-2, they can return to the community after an isolation period of at least 10 days from the onset of positivity, at the end of which a negative molecular test is performed (10 days + test) .

Symptomatic positives

me positive symptomatic can return to the community after a period of isolation of at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms (not considering anosmia and ageusia / dysgeusia which may persist for a long time) accompanied by a negative molecular test performed afterwards of at least 3 days without symptoms (10 days, of which at least 3 days without symptoms + test).

Long-term positive

People who, although they no longer have symptoms, continue to be positive to the molecular test for SARS-CoV-2, in case of absence of symptoms (except ageusia / dysgeusia and anosmia 4 which may last for some time after healing) for at least one week, they may interrupt the isolation after 21 days from onset of symptoms. This criterion can be modulated by health authorities in agreement with clinical experts and microbiologists / virologists, taking into account the immune status of the affected persons (in immunosuppressed patients the period of contagion can be prolonged).

Close contacts of asymptomatic patients.

Close contacts of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection cases identified by health authorities should observe:

• a 14-day quarantine period from the last exposure to the case; or
• a 10-day quarantine period from the last exposure with a negative antigen or molecular test performed on the 10th day.

Finally, the circular recommends:

• run the proof molecular at the end of quarantine to all people who live or come in regular contact with frail subjects and / or at risk of complications
• provide differentiated access to the test for i children;
• do not provide for quarantine or diagnostic testing on close contacts of close contacts of the case (i.e., there has been no direct contact with the confirmed case), unless the close contact of the case later tests positive for any diagnostic tests or in the event that, according to the criteria of the health authorities, community screening is appropriate
• promote the use of Application Immune to support contact tracing activities.

The new Dpcm with the closing already in the afternoon of October 12?