Yolo County issued coronavirus mitigation recommendations on Tuesday that encourage social distancing and end the use of 14-day quarantines for individuals who have been in contact with someone with the virus.

Instead, those individuals are being encouraged to self-monitor for respiratory symptoms and fever.

“If they develop symptoms, they should stay home in order to protect those who are well … for 72 hours after symptoms resolve or seven days after symptoms began, whichever is longer,” according to the guidance issued jointly by Yolo and Placer counties.

Fourteen-day quarantines have been a key component used by Yolo County health officials for containing the coronavirus (COVID-19) since last month. Individuals who may have had contact with someone who tested positive for the virus were quarantined at home for two weeks. If symptoms developed during quarantine, they were tested for the virus; if not, after 14 days, they were released from quarantine.

Yolo County’s public health officer, Dr. Ron Chapman, said last week upwards of 30 people in the county had completed 14-day quarantines.

“To date, public health teams have focused on identifying and separating persons with COVID-19 from others and tracking down persons who were exposed to the infected person,” said a statement released jointly on Tuesday by Yolo and Placer counties.

“This containment approach has helped to slow the introduction of COVID-19 into the United States. With community spread, public health departments must now shift their efforts to community mitigation measures that will slow the spread of COVID-19 in the community, protect those who are most vulnerable to severe illness and allow the health care system to prepare resources to take care of severely ill patients. Like a handful of other counties in California, Placer and Yolo counties will now enter this new phase.

“This is a critical moment in the growing outbreak of COVID-19 in the region, and decisive action is needed to slow the spread of the disease,” the statement said. “Public health officials have weighed the potential benefits to the community’s health against the disruptive effects that these recommendations could have. These decisions were not made lightly, and recommendations are based on the best information we have at this time.”

Those recommendations — essentially that people avoid gathering in spaces where they will be within arm’s reach of each other — have resulted in events throughout the county being canceled. The Yolo County Library has cancelled all non-essential programs and meetings through April 1 as has International House Davis. The city of Davis postponed ceremonial presentations — including the Golden Heart Awards — scheduled for Tuesday night’s council meeting.

The recommendations leading to those postponements and cancelations are effective immediately and will continue until April 1 unless extended. They include:

* Workplaces: Workplaces and businesses should implement telecommuting for their employees, if this is feasible, and minimize the number of employees working within arm’s length of each other, the county said.

* Large gatherings: Those who are planning large gatherings should consider modifying, postponing or canceling them, especially if large numbers of people will be within arm’s length of each other, the county recommended.

* Schools: Schools that have a COVID-19 exposure or a case should make decisions about closing or other actions in collaboration with their local health department. Schools should minimize students and staff working within arm’s length of each other whenever feasible, according to the county.

* Sick people: Everyone should stay home if they are sick until they have had no fever, cough or other respiratory symptoms for at least 72 hours after symptoms resolve or seven days after symptoms began, whichever is longer.

Individuals with cold-like symptoms should manage their symptoms at home with over-the-counter drugs whenever possible, regardless of whether they have a cold, the flu or COVID-19, the county said. Individuals who develop difficulty breathing, feel extremely tired, or were feeling better but then feel a lot worse should call their health care provider. If they will be going to the provider’s office or urgent care center, they should call ahead so that the health care provider can be prepared to take care of them.

People should only call 911 or go to an emergency department if they believe that their life is in imminent danger. Other emergencies are still occurring, and emergency resources must be available to address all of them, not just COVID-19.

* Vulnerable populations: The risk of severe disease from COVID-19 escalates as age increases, with people over the age of 60 at the highest risk of complications and severe disease. Regardless of age, people with chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, heart disease, or lung diseases such as COPD, as well as those with severely weakened immune systems, are also at high risk of complications. People at higher risk should consider staying home and away from crowded social gatherings where people are within arm’s length of one another. For example, avoid parades, conferences, sporting events and concerts.

* Exposed people: With the shift from containment to mitigation, it is no longer necessary for someone who has been in contact with a person who has COVID-19 to quarantine for 14 days, the county said Tuesday. This applies to the general public, as well as health care workers and first responders. However, exposed persons should self-monitor for respiratory symptoms and fever. If they develop symptoms, they should stay home in order to protect those who are well — again, for 72 hours after symptoms resolve or seven days after symptoms began, whichever is longer.

* Masks: Follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for using a facemask. The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others, the county recommended. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

* Testing: Testing for COVID-19 is now available through commercial labs. “However, just because a test is available does not mean that it is necessary for most people,” the county said. “People who have mild symptoms or are getting better do not need to get tested because their treatment will be the same, regardless of the test result.”

Testing is a decision made by health care providers to help in the care of very ill patients as well as to protect public health, the county said in its recommendations.

During a presentation to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors on Monday, Chapman stressed the importance of people with mild symptoms — up to 80 percent of those who contract the virus — staying home and not burdening the healthcare system.

“There’s a potential for a lot of the vulnerable population — seniors and chronically ill folks — to be really sick and that alone could overwhelm the system,” Chapman said.

He also emphasized the importance of social distancing going forward.

“We need to limit person-to-person contact,” Chapman said. “Any events where there are large numbers of people who are in very close quarters, those events need to be postponed.”

That advice is being heeded.

On Tuesday, the Yolo County Library — which includes the Stephens Branch Library in Davis — canceled all non-essential programs, classes and events, including community use of meeting rooms, through March 31.

Standard hours of operation will continue at all Yolo County Library branch locations and at the Archives facility.

“We are taking additional measures to ensure our facilities remain welcoming, safe and clean,” said Yolo County Librarian Mark Fink. “This includes cleaning and sanitizing countertop surfaces and door handles and scheduling more frequent janitorial visits.

“By visiting our website, https://yolocountylibrary.org, residents can access many of our services from the convenience of their home, including 24/7 access to ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, fee payment and more.”

International House Davis announced Tuesday afternoon that it is canceling classes, events and programs through the end of the month.

“We ask for your kindness, generosity and vigilance in this time,” the announcement said. “Small businesses and nonprofit organizations like I-House are losing significant revenue, people are losing income, some people are ill, others are scared and suffering. We are doing what we can to support our local and global community. Please be kind to others, be healthy and be safe. We will see you here at I-House soon!”

As for smaller gatherings, Chapman said individuals will have to make their own decisions.

“It’s really hard for me to say you should cancel your daughter’s birthday party with 12 people coming over or cancel a support group (meeting) … but the more we cancel, the better,” he said. “The more social distancing, the sooner we have social distancing, the fewer cases and deaths we’ll have ultimately.”

As the county’s health officer, Chapman has the authority to issue orders canceling events and closing buildings but told county supervisors on Tuesday he was “not planning on issuing any health officer orders at this point.

“We have (recommendations) for the public regarding social distancing,” he said. “If we feel like those measures are not sufficient and the public is not taking our advice, then we need to think about health officer orders.”

Additional guidance is available at www.yolocounty.org/coronavirus.

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