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Vol. 17, No. 50
September 1, 2021
COVID cases rise, new bills restrict response measures By Kristi Niemeyer for the Valley Journal
T
Bears pg. 5
Rodeo pg. 7
wo bills passed by the 2021 Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte make it even more challenging for public health officials to address the current upswing in COVID cases, accelerated by the highly contagious Delta variant. House Bill 257 limits the ability of health boards or school districts to isolate or quarantine those exposed to the virus. And House Bill 702 stipulates that governments, businesses and healthcare institutions “can no longer discriminate based on vaccine status.” The only exception is long-term care and assisted-living facilities. Lake County Public Health Director Em-
ily Colomeda says she “absolutely” anticipates that these two pieces of legislation will amplify the spread of the virus instead of slow it. “When I talked with the county attorney he agreed we can no longer order someone, vaccinated or not, to quarantine
on the basis of exposure,” she added. This guidance directly counters the Centers for Disease Control guidelines for people exposed to the virus. Under those directives, vaccinated people who come into close contact with someone with suspected or
confirmed COVID-19 should be tested 3-5 days after exposure, and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. Those who are unvaccinated should quarantine for 10 days if they’ve been in close contact
(within six feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes over a 24hour period) with someone who has COVID-19. If a test taken in 5-7 days turns up negative, they can shorten the duration of their quarantine. Colomeda points out that quarantine is a standard tool in the public health arsenal, designed to inhibit the spread of infectious disease. “We do it for tuberculosis; we do it for pertussis (whooping cough),” says Colomeda. “The difference is there’s not a verified treatment for COVID … and Delta is a game changer. It’s definitely more contagious.” Under House Bill 257, health departments can recommend quarantine, but no longer order it for those exposed to COVID. see page 2
“I’m convinced if we don’t get a hold on it, Delta will not be the last variant that’s going to affect the population.” Fundraiser pg. 21
– LAKE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR EMILY COLOMEDA w w w. v a l l e y j ou r na l. ne t
