CA Governor Newsom Relaxes Quarantine Rules For Covid-Exposed Workers

California Gov. Gavin Newsom holds up a vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

On Monday California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order altering the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) emergency temporary standard for Covid-19 related worker quarantines.

A statement from the governor’s office said the new order was “in keeping with new guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) related to quarantine guidelines.”

Here are some pertinent passages from the new CDPH guidelines:

All asymptomatic close contacts (within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) may discontinue quarantine after Day 10 from the date of last exposure with or without testing.

During critical staffing shortages when there are not enough staff to provide safe patient care, essential critical infrastructure workers in the following categories are not prohibited from returning after Day 7 from the date of last exposure if they have received a negative PCR test result from a specimen collected after Day 5:

Exposed asymptomatic health care workers; and

Exposed asymptomatic emergency response and social service workers who work face to face with clients in the child welfare system or in assisted living facilities.

All exposed asymptomatic contacts permitted to reduce the quarantine period to less than 14 days must:

Adhere strictly to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions, including wearing face coverings at all times, maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from others and the interventions required below, through Day 14.

Use surgical face masks at all times during work for those returning after Day 7 and continue to use face coverings when outside the home through Day 14 after last exposure.

Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms through Day 14 and if symptoms occur, immediately self-isolate and contact their local public health department or healthcare provider and seek testing.

You can read a full copy of Newsom’s order here.