FHS Covid-19 Handbook

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR QUARANTINE, SELF-ISOLATION AND/OR ISOLATION

Students who are required to begin Quarantine or to start Self-Isolation/Isolation should adhere to the following national guidelines during the required Quarantine/Self-Isolation/Isolation period.

Quarantine

Quarantine is for people who are asymptomatic, but may have been in close contact* with a known positive COVID-19 patient. Quarantine keeps these people away from others so they do not spread possible infection.

Quarantine is for the following:

1. Students who are asymptomatic and in close contact* with a COVID-19 positive case.
2. Students who are asymptomatic who tested for COVID-19 and waiting for test results.

*Close Contact: A person having had face-to-face contact (≤1 metre) or in a closed space with a COVID-19 case for at least 15 minutes without wearing masks. This includes:

• all persons living in the same household as a COVID-19 case
• people working closely in the same environment as a COVID-19 case
• healthcare workers/clinical students providing direct care for a COVID-19 case while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment (PPE)

Self-Isolation/Isolation

Self-Isolation/Isolation is for people who are symptomatic and/or test positive for COVID-19. Self-Isolation is to isolate in one’s own Residence room or own room at home. Isolation is to isolate at a designated Wits Residence Isolation Facility or Government Isolation Facility.

Self-Isolation/Isolation is for the following:

1. Students who are symptomatic for COVID-19 and are waiting to be tested, or are symptomatic and have been tested for COVID-19 and waiting for test results.
2. Students who are symptomatic with mild/moderate symptoms who tested positive (severe symptoms may need to be admitted to hospital for isolation).
3. Students who are asymptomatic who tested positive for COVID-19.

Number of days one needs to Quarantine/Self-Isolate/Isolate

It is important to understand the purpose of Quarantine and Isolation is to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 to other people. Therefore, one is under Quarantine/Isolation for the time period one is contagious.  This period is sometimes difficult to calculate accurately, with most studies indicating a person is contagious 2 days prior to symptoms and 8 days following onset of symptoms. As stated by the Health Minister, DR Zwelini Mkhize: “Asymptomatic patients represent a conceptual challenge, since it is not possible to estimate where in the course of viral shedding they are at the time point at which they test positive.”

Given current information, the NDoH has updated the De-Isolation guidelines on 17 July, 2020 as the following:

Updated De-Isolation Recommendations, 17 July 2020

1. Asymptomatic student requires isolation for 10 days after their positive test date.
2. Symptomatic student with mild disease requires isolation for 10 days after the onset of their symptoms (regardless of a positive test date) provided their fever has resolved and their other symptoms are improving.
3. Hospitalised patients with moderate-severe disease require isolation for 10 days following achievement of clinical stability (i.e. from when they are not requiring supplemental oxygen and are otherwise clinically stable).
4. Students exposed in a high-risk scenario (who are asymptomatic) start quarantine and should have a negative COVID-19 PCR test performed on day 5 and experience no symptoms before they return to campus/clinical training. If they develop symptoms, or test positive, then follow above scenarios for De-isolation.

Repeat COVID-19 PCR testing is NOT required in order to de-isolate a patient and is not recommended.