Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD) is alerting the public that due to the extreme increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Barry and Eaton Counties, case investigations conducted with individuals will now be prioritized based on risk.  BEDHD is beyond capacity due to the level of spread within the community. BEDHD may not be able to contact every individual who tests positive for COVID-19, and will be focusing on highest-risk cases to conduct investigations.  People who are positive may not receive a call from the health department.

BEDHD is requesting that all individuals who test positive for COVID-19 complete an isolation period of 10 days, regardless of if you are contacted by BEDHD or not. These people should remain in isolation until all of these conditions are met

 

-10 days from when symptoms began (or they tested positive)

-they have been fever-free for 24 hours, and

-symptoms have improved.

 

Individuals who are positive for COVID-19 are also asked to contact their own close contacts to alert them of the exposure. Close contacts should quarantine for 14 days post-exposure. Close contacts are people who:

 

-Were with the COVID-19-positive person while contagious (while symptomatic or up to two days before symptoms began, or the individual received a positive test if asymptomatic), AND

-Spent 15 or more minutes over the course of 24 hours within six feet of the COVID-19-positive person

 

Both isolation and quarantine mean staying at home, even away from other household members as much as possible.

 

Individuals with COVID-19 who will receive priority case investigation are those who are at higher risk of spreading COVID-19. These individuals include those who live or work in congregate care settings (jails, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, etc.), individuals who attend or work in schools, and first responders.

 

Most testing facilities will provide COVID-19 test results through an online portal or through other means of communication. Individuals who have received a test but have not received their results within a few days should contact the site where they were tested. Do not assume that because you have not been called, you are not positive.

 

BEDHD continues to urge the general public to take COVID-19 precautions seriously to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Barry and Eaton counties.