A list of questions was presented to the LCDHD staff by the media. Those questions, and the answers given, are provided in the following article for the readers of the Clinton County News.

The media updates are presented weekly and the Clinton County News will continue to participate in those briefings so we can better keep our readers informed

A list of questions was presented to our staff by the media. Questions for media zoom meeting August 5th;

Dr. Weyman

Q1a -Could the panel address the situations in which a person tests negative for COVID-19 but gets counted as a positive. I have now had another conversation with someone who tested negative, but is counted as a positive. I also want to know if they retest at another time and test positive, does it get counted twice?

An individual is only counted once, no matter how many positive tests they have or if they were deemed a case without a test result. A person who has symptoms compatible with COVID-19 and has been a close contact of a known positive case, without being tested or having a negative test is considered a probable case and counted.

Q1b -I also would like to know why one person who tests negative, but is classified as positive, has to quarantine and another does not have to quarantine?

A case or a probable case needs to be isolated for at least 10 days since symptom onset to prevent spread. A contact to a case is quarantined for 14 days from their last exposure as they may become symptomatic during this period and spread the disease.

Q2 -There is STILL a LOT of confusion as to how long someone has to quarantine after testing positive. In general, the public is under the impression that from the day a person tests positive, they should quarantine for 14 days, Then, get tested and if they are negative and have no symptoms, they are released. However, recently a person tested positive on July 24 and was released seven days later. Then a member of the same household tested positive two days after the first person was released. Can you clear this up for me?

Criteria for release from isolation are at least 10 days have passed from symptom onset and at least 24 hours have passed without a fever and symptoms are improving .No case should be released before 10 days since symptom onset. Exposed persons who have no symptoms are quarantined for 14 days from the date of their last exposure as it may take up to 14 days to become symptomatic after being infected.

Shawn

Q3 -I am still seeing several businesses in McCreary County not enforcing the mask mandate. Is the health department getting many complaints about these and how is the process going to follow up on those?

The health department is being inundated with complaints across the entire district. Compliance is moderate. Some businesses are very compliant. A good number are minimally compliant. We are waiting on clarification on our part in issuing fines to businesses that are out-of-compliance.

We sincerely don’t want to fine our businesses. We know many of them are struggling financially. We hope everyone will comply just because it is the right thing to do to slow the spread.