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Duke Signature Care: How to Celebrate Holidays Safely with COVID

Duke Signature Care

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Join Dr. Kathleen Waite and Dr. Anne Phelps for an interactive ZOOM discussion on COVID updates and how to stay safe during the holiday season.

When: Tuesday, November 17th 5:30pm

Please use zoom link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://duke.zoom.us/j/2642258961?pwd=UUZ0aWhsL0h1T3Z0Tjc4bmJEWVlxQT09

Meeting ID: 264 225 8961
Passcode: 679427

What is the difference between Isolation vs Quarantine?

Isolation is the term used for a person who has tested positive for COVID. Isolation is 10 days from the first onset of symptoms. A person is contagious for 10 days even if they recover quickly and feel well, they still need to isolate for the full 10 days to prevent transmission. How to isolate depends on your home and living situation. If you live by yourself, you should remain in your home. You should not leave your home except to seek medical care. Anything you need should be delivered to your front door. If you do you need medical attention you should let the medical staff know you are COVID positive and wear a mask.

If you have other family members in your home, you should stay in "solitary confinement" meaning stay in a bedroom by yourself and use a separate bathroom from the rest of the family. Your meals or anything you need should be left in front of the bedroom door. Do not eat with your family. You should try to avoid the common areas of the house and if you must leave the isolation bedroom wear a mask to protect your loved ones.

Quarantine is the term used for a person who has been exposed and there is concern about future development of disease.  After exposure to COVID most people develop symptoms between days 5 and 7 but the incubation period is up to 14 days. Because of this incubation period quarantine is for 14 days. How to quarantine is the same as how to isolate. Do not leave your home if you live alone. If you have other family members in your home, you want to isolate in a separate area of the house as described above for "solitary confinement". Many people ask if they get a COVID test and it returns negative if they can then stop the quarantine. Unfortunately, the answer is NO. A negative COVID test does not mean that you will not get the disease during this incubation period and transmission is well documented without symptoms.

What should I do with the holidays coming up?
Everyone looks forward to holidays and seeing friends and family. This is a very difficult time, and you must make a personal decision on what you feel comfortable doing this year. We know that people are infectious 1 to 3 days before symptom onset and that up to 40 to 50% of cases may be attributable to transmission from asymptomatic or presymptomatic people. Contact tracing has shown substantial spread of COVID-19 among small gatherings in homes.

More information can be found at the following COVID 19 links below.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/guidance#individuals

Kathleen A. Waite, MD

Duke Health
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The news stories provided in this e-newsletter are a service of the nationally syndicated HealthDay news and information company. Stories refer to national trends and breaking health news, and are not necessarily indicative of or always supported by our facility and providers. This information is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.