March 16, 2020
KDHE issues new recommendations for quarantine and isolation of travelers, close contacts and those being tested
Submitted by Communications and Marketing
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is issuing new guidance surrounding COVID-19, including travelers, close contacts of confirmed cases and those being tested.
KDHE is now recommending 14-day home quarantine for Kansans who have:
- Traveled to a state with known widespread community transmission (currently California, New York and Washington state) on or after March 15.
- Visited Eagle, Summit, Pitkin and Gunnison counties in Colorado within the past week.
- Traveled on a cruise ship on or after March 15.
- People who have previously been told by Public Health to quarantine because of their cruise ship travel should finish out their quarantine.
- Traveled internationally on or after March 15.
- People who have previously been told by Public Health to quarantine because of their international travel should finish out their quarantine.
- Received notification from public health officials — state or local — that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19. You should quarantine at home for 14 days since your last contact with the case. A close contact is defined as someone who has been closer than 6 feet for more than 10 minutes while the patient is symptomatic.
There is no need for returning travelers to notify KDHE about their return. Information on COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and states with community transmission can be found at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
Read more about home quarantine guidelines, testing for COVID-19 and prevention in the full March 15 release from KDHE.