By Sue-Ann Wayow
PERSONS in quarantine anxious to return to work will have to remain at home for the full 21-day period if they contracted Covid-19.
Epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds explained that although persons may test negative for Covid-19 at initial testing and may not display symptoms, the virus has an incubating period and the Ministry of Health was taking added precautions by allowing persons to go through the full 21-day quarantine period.
Speaking at the Ministry of Health’s virtual media conference on Wednesday, Dr Hinds said if global quarantine standards changed, the public will be updated.
He said, “We continue to review the evidence, the data globally on the durations of infectious periods and the duration of the incubation that has been demonstrated as the pandemic unfolds. The isolation period for those who are infected has been set at 21 days really to minimise the possibility of someone who is still infected, still infectious meaning shedding the virus, being out and about and continuing to contribute to the spread of the virus while they are ill even if they don’t feel ill.”
He also spoke about persons who could potentially be infected and why the quarantine period was necessary.
Dr Hinds said, “When you are exposed to an infected person, you have the possibility of becoming infected yourself and manifesting symptoms before a positive test and the time frame that is most likely to happen extends to as far as 14 days, therefore the quarantine period matches the incubation period for the virus and you are asked to remain out of circulation pending that potential development.”
He said once there was enough evidence based on the international information, then the period will be adjusted accordingly.
