Ten-day COVID-19 isolation period still in place for Jamaicans

 

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie has clarified that the new provision for release of COVID-19 positive persons from isolation after five days does not apply to residents of Jamaica.

 

She made the disclosure during a COVID Conversations media briefing on Thursday evening.

 

Dr. Bisasor McKenzie said persons residing in Jamaica must remain isolated for 10 days. 

 

"The discharge protocol for in-country as it relates to persons that remain in Jamaica has not changed in that there is a 10-day isolation period for persons who are confirmed positive and [for] those persons, there is no test to be released from isolation. It's a symptom-based release, so if you've had three asymptomatic days, then at a minimum of 10-day isolation then you'd be released. If at 10 days you're still symptomatic, you would need to have three asymptomatic days," she sought to explain.  

 

Dr. Bisasor McKenzie noted that persons with severe COVID-19 who are hospitalised must remain isolated for 14 days.

 

The five-day release applies to tourists from the United States, since the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has allowed for a similar isolation period in that country.

 

The chief medical officer explained that American visitors can opt to do a COVID-19 test, and if the test is negative, they are released from isolation after five days. 

 

"The thought is that these persons would move straight from the isolated area to the flight to leave the country. So if these persons are going to be staying in Jamaica beyond the five days from when they have been isolated then we would revert to a 10-day isolation period," she outlined.