SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 22, 2024 (en español) – On Mar. 18, 2024, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) announced updated guidance on what to do when someone is sick with a respiratory illness like COVID-19, flu, or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). These updates come after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their COVID-19 guidance on Mar. 1, 2024. DOH is updating their guidance to better align with the research currently available. San Juan County will be following DOH’s updated guidance.

The DOH guidance is similar to the CDC updated guidance, but there are additional recommendations to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses after someone becomes infected, and how to protect people with weakened immune systems and others at a higher risk of severe illness. The most significant change is how long someone should stay home and away from others after contracting a respiratory illness.

Previous guidance recommended people isolate for at least five full days after symptoms appeared. The new DOH guidance recommends people return to normal activities when their symptoms are getting better overall and they have not had a fever (without having to use fever-reducing medication) for at least 24 hours.

It is important to remember that people can still be contagious even when their symptoms have improved. DOH is therefore recommending that people take extra precautions during the first five days of returning to normal activities after respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, flu, and RSV. This includes:

• Consider wearing a mask.
• Taking steps to improve air flow and filtration.
• Frequent hand washing.
• Regular cleaning.
• Physical distancing.
• If possible, testing when you will be around other people indoors. Plan to take one test 24 to 48 hours before the gathering and again right before you arrive. Your local pharmacy should have tests available for purchase (insurance coverage varies). If you are unable to access an at-home test at the pharmacy, we have a small supply available at your local public health office to fill in the gaps, upon request. Call 360-378-4474 to learn more.

Based on the most recent research on PCR results of exhaled air, it has been found that the exhaled air is most infectious for about two days prior to symptoms starting. In most cases, by the time people are feeling better and ready to return to school or work, on average about three days after symptoms started, the exhaled air has taken a significant drop down to minimal levels of infectivity. It is still important to remember that people can still be contagious even when their symptoms have improved, which is why DOH has included extra precautions in the updated recommendations.

• People with COVID-19 can be contagious for 5 to 10 days after their illness begins.
• People with flu can be contagious for 5 to 7 days after their illness begins.
• People with RSV can be contagious for 3 to 8 days after their illness begins.

DOH’s new guidance also includes recommendations to prevent spreading infection to people who are at a higher risk of severe illness, such as older adults and people with weakened immune systems. The recommendations include staying away from higher risk people:

• For 10 days after symptoms of infection start, or for people who never develop symptoms, for 10 days since testing positive for COVID-19, OR
• Until receiving a negative result from a COVID-19 antigen test (for people who previously tested positive).

The best tool against respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, flu, and RSV is always prevention. The tried and true tools remain the same:

1. Consider getting vaccinated. It’s not too late! Vaccines keep many people from getting sick with respiratory illnesses like the flu, COVID-19, and RSV. Some people who get vaccines may still get sick. However, vaccines help reduce the severity of your illness. It will also lower your chance of needing to go to the hospital.
2. Stay home when you’re sick. If you have any of the following symptoms, stay home until you feel better: fever, sore throat, cough, sneezing, headache, nausea and/or vomiting, and diarrhea.
3. Consider masking. If you must go out while you are sick or if you are visiting a vulnerable family member, consider wearing a well-fitting mask to protect those around you. People are considered vulnerable if they are under six months old or over sixty years old or someone who is likely to become severely ill with an illness that seems mild to others.
4. Cover your cough or sneeze. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or inside of your elbow when you cough or sneeze. Put your used tissue in the waste basket and wash your hands.
5. Wash your hands regularly. Use soap and water. If there is no soap available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

San Juan County Health & Community Services is able to vaccine uninsured adults and children under 19 years old. If your child is under 19 years or you are an uninsured adult, please call our office at 360-378-4474 to schedule an appointment. If you are 19 or older with insurance, including those with Medicare, please contact your medical provider or local pharmacy to schedule a vaccine appointment.

If you test positive for COVID-19, there are some medications available that can help decrease the length and severity of symptoms. Contact your doctor or make a FREE telehealth appointment to see which treatment options are right for you. Telehealth providers are available every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific standard time (PST). Language assistance is available. If you do not have access to a computer or smart phone, you can call 1-833-273-6330 to complete the intake form over the phone with a support agent.

The updated DOH guidance does not apply to health care settings. People who are staying, working, or visiting in a health care setting, long-term care facility, or residential care setting should follow the relevant guidance for those facilities provided by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries and the CDC.

Relevant URLs:

• SJC COVID-19 Information (Spanish)
• Department of Health announces updated guidance for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses 
• DOH COVID-19 Vaccine Information (Spanish)
• CDC updates and simplifies respiratory virus recommendations 
• CDC Adults Now Able to Receive Additional Dose of Updated COVID-19 Vaccine 
• DOH Respiratory Illness Data Dashboard 

Media Contact:

Kyra Jahanfar, Program Coordinator – Emergency Preparedness & Communications, kyrak@sanjuancountywa.gov, 360-370-7502

About San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services    

San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services is responsible for community and environmental health, mental health and substance abuse programs, senior services, affordable housing projects, and more. The department has staff and offices on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. For more information about San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services, visit www.sanjuancountywa.gov/1777/Health-Community-Services.

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