![Iowa Department of Public Health Changes Quarantine Recommendations](http://townsquare.media/site/683/files/2020/09/coronavirus1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Iowa Department of Public Health Changes Quarantine Recommendations
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is making a change on quarantine recommendations for people that have been exposed to a positive case of COVID-19. This applies in non-healthcare, non-residential settings only. This includes businesses, education and child care settings.
- Close contacts of COVID-positive cases will no longer need to quarantine for 14 days if a face covering was worn consistently and correctly by the positive case and close contacts. The positive case must isolate. The close contacts should self-monitor.
- Self-monitoring entails close monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms over the subsequent 14 days, staying home if any symptoms develop, and speaking with a healthcare provider about COVID-19 testing in the case of any illness.
- If people who are self-monitoring become ill but do not get tested, they should remain home until 10 days after symptom onset.
- People currently in quarantine may be released from quarantine if a face covering was worn consistently and correctly by the positive case and close contacts during exposure.
- If the positive case wore a face covering, but close contacts did not, those close contacts must be quarantined.
- If the positive case did not wear a face covering, close contacts must quarantine whether or not they wore a face covering.
- Quarantine of close contacts will still be necessary in residential and healthcare settings.
Please find an infographic depicting the new IDPH recommendations at https://idph.iowa.gov/Portals/1/userfiles/61/covid19/resources/WhenToQuarantine.pdf
Masks are proven to be effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Increased mask use will reduce the number of individuals that need to quarantine. Along with wearing a face covering, we ask that everyone continue all recommended public health strategies:
- Stay home when sick.
- Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet whenever possible.
- Wash hands frequently.
More From AM 1490 WDBQ
![Dubuque Police Make Arrest for Tuesday’s High Speed Car Chase](http://townsquare.media/site/683/files/2020/09/dub-police.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![National Mississippi River & Aquarium to Offer Free Virtual Programs this Fall](http://townsquare.media/site/683/files/2020/05/MississippiRiverMuseum.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Beatles Announce Full Details About New ‘Get Back’ Book](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2020/09/Beatles-Callaway-Books.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Kanye West Accuses White Media of Taking Down R. Kelly, Bill Cosby and Michael Jackson](http://townsquare.media/site/812/files/2020/07/kanye-west1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Epworth City-Wide Garage Sales this week](http://townsquare.media/site/683/files/2020/07/EpworthTower.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Dubuque County Supervisors vote AGAINST county mask mandate](http://townsquare.media/site/683/files/2020/09/facemasks.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![East Dubuque Schools Moving to Remote Learning for All Students Due to COVID-19](http://townsquare.media/site/683/files/2020/09/SCHOOL-KIDS.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Dubuque County Moves From “Red Zone” to “Yellow Zone” for COVID-19](http://townsquare.media/site/683/files/2020/09/coronavirus.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Free Parking About to end in Dubuque](http://townsquare.media/site/683/files/2020/08/PARKING-METER-2.jpg?w=980&q=75)