(CJME News staff)

By Lisa Schick/CJME News

SHA explains current isolation recommendations for COVID

Apr 22, 2022 | 10:27 AM

It has been more than a month since isolation for someone with COVID-19 was legally enforceable in Saskatchewan, but it’s still the recommended reaction after testing positive.

It has become even more important as cases and hospitalizations shoot up in the province, but some confusion around isolation remains.

The current recommendation is for someone who tests positive for COVID-19, with either a PCR test or rapid test, to isolate for at least five days.

According to Dr. John Mark Opondo, medical health officer with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), the count starts when symptoms start or when a test comes up positive for people who don’t have symptoms.

“We’re relying on the people of Saskatchewan to do the right thing because we’ve been on this COVID journey for the last two years so many people kind of know what to do,” said Opondo.

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However, for people who have symptoms, five days may not be the proper end to isolation.

“If your symptoms linger on a little bit longer than five days then you should sort of wait until you start feeling better,” said Opondo.

Opondo said a person can leave isolation about 24 hours after mild symptoms start to resolve.

After isolation, there are still some guidelines it’s recommended people follow.

“You should wear a mask and wear a good mask so that will reduce any risk of even the residual low chance. Five more days of wearing a mask is really good,” explained Opondo.

Opondo would also recommend that people avoid hospitals or care homes in those subsequent five days.

“I know visiting your loved ones is an important value but for their own protection during those first COVID days, if you can take another five days away from doing that type of activity – particularly visiting vulnerable relatives at home or in indoor spaces – that’s also a good recommendation,” said Opondo.

Some articles and website will talk about testing again to get out of isolation but Saskatchewan’s 811 HealthLine isn’t recommending that for people. Opondo said they’re really only talking about that for essential workers who have no symptoms, not the rest of the public.

“If you do multiple tests, you’re going to get very confused,” said Opondo.

Some people will have all the COVID symptoms but won’t test positive.

“I think because we’ve been in COVID for three years people have kind of forgotten about things like influenza and rhinovirus and the common cold. There are other viruses and bacteria that can cause cold-like symptoms,” said Opondo.

If someone does have a cold or the flu, Opondo said they should be careful. He said if you feel sick, you should isolate and stay at home. But if a person tests and they keep coming up negative, Opondo said it’s not unreasonable to go out and run errands, if a person also wears a mask and avoids close spaces with others.

“If we’ve learned anything from COVID, actually wearing a mask is quite good because you prevent infecting other people,” said Opondo.

One of the reasons the province reduced the recommended isolation time from the original 14 days is because so many people in the province are vaccinated, according to Opondo.

As of Thursday, the province said just over 80 per cent of those eligible in the province had vaccine doses while about 51 per cent have gotten a booster dose — the latter of which Opondo greatly supports.

“That’s really, really important. The way we get out of the pandemic is by many people practising all these things we’ve talked about – isolation and wearing a mask – but even as important is getting your vaccine and getting your third dose booster,” said Opondo.

Opondo said the booster is what is going to protect people and help stop any new variants getting into the system, and it’s what will help get everyone out of the pandemic more quickly.