County updates close COVID-19 contact requirements

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.
·2 min read

Mar. 3—The Niagara County Department of Health announced that in alignment with the updated U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, quarantine will no longer be required for fully vaccinated people following a close contact exposure.

More specifically, asymptomatic fully vaccinated individuals are no longer required to quarantine within 90 days after the second shot. A person is considered fully vaccinated at least two weeks after receiving the second dose of a two-dose vaccine (e.g. Moderna or Pfizer) or one dose of a single-dose vaccine (e.g. Johnson & Johnson).

"People who have been fully vaccinated and have been in close contact with a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 will not be required to quarantine if they are within three months of receiving the last dose of the vaccine and have no symptoms of COVID-19 since their exposure," Daniel. J. Stapleton, public health director, said. "Those who do not meet those qualifying standards, should follow the New York state quarantine guidance," he added.

The county has conducted more than 5,700 first dose vaccinations at its Point of Dispensing (POD) operations with a second dose completion rate of about 95%," added Elise Pignatora, director of Public Health Planning and Emergency Preparedness.

Despite being vaccinated, individuals should continue to follow current guidance to protect themselves and others until herd immunity is reached. Stapleton said, "Everyone, despite being vaccinated, should continue to wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, avoid crowds, wash their hands and follow current NYS travel advisory requirements."

There are some exceptions to the new quarantine guidance. According to the CDC, fully vaccinated inpatients and residents in health care settings should continue to quarantine following an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

The county reported 31 new positive COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. There are currently 335 active cases in the county with 326 isolating at home, nine in the hospital.