County’s move follows statewide suspension of 5-day quarantine for asymptomatic cases

AS of Friday, April 15, Los Angeles County residents who have been exposed to the coronavirus but show no symptoms do not have to quarantine.

The change in rules means that anyone exposed to the virus no longer needs to quarantine for at least five days in case they test positive for COVID-19; however, this only applies if they remain without symptoms.

However, despite the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) broadly easing its statewide coronavirus-related public safety measures, LA County is keeping some mandates in place for those who may have been in contact with an infected person.

The county requires — not recommend — that anyone in contact with an infected individual must “wear a highly protective mask around others, especially indoors, for a total of 10 days after the last contact with a person infected” with COVID-19.

Moreover, that person should get tested within the next three to five days after interacting with the aforementioned infected individual.

The county said that anyone is considered exposed to the virus if they share the same indoor space with an infected person during their contagious period for at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period.

Earlier this month, the CDPH announced new guidelines that state that asymptomatic people who came in contact with Covid-positive individuals no longer need to quarantine for at least five days.

Although mask-wearing is recommended by the state for those who are exposed, it is not required.

“As the SARS-CoV-2 virus has evolved to have a shorter incubation period (e.g., average 2-3 days), usually by the time identified exposed contacts are notified, their incubation period is over and the most relevant time period for restricting movement by quarantine has passed,” the CDPH wrote in an April 6 memo.