LANSING, Mich. — With several states in the U.S. now at high risk for a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, the Ingham County Health Department (ICHD) recommends people with recent travel to high-risk states self-quarantine upon return to Michigan. Employers are encouraged to exclude such travelers from the workplace and offer telework upon return if possible.
Currently, this is a self-quarantine recommendation, not a countywide emergency order. Self-quarantine should last for 14 days since a visit to a state that is at risk for active or imminent outbreak. High-risk states identified by Covid Act Now currently include: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia.
“Approximately one-third of positive cases in Ingham County have recent travel in their history,” said Ingham County Health Officer Linda S. Vail. “Travel can be a very risky activity right now. Many people are used to being able to getaway in the summer, but this is not a typical summer. We urge caution and the avoidance of non-essential travel, especially to high-risk areas.”
ICHD recommends people use Covid Act Now, https://covidactnow.org/ [covidactnow.org], for real-time information regarding each state’s risk and to make decisions regarding domestic travel-related quarantine and workplace exclusions. Covid Act Now is a model developed in partnership with the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science and Security, Stanford University Clinical Excellence Research Center, and Grand Rounds. The website is updated daily with high-risk states shown in red.
Guidance and requirements for international travelers may vary by country, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discourages all non-essential international travel and recommends a 14-day self-quarantine for all international travelers. During any type of travel, the health department encourages people to wear face masks or face coverings, practice social distancing, avoid large crowds (especially indoors) and to wash their hands well and often.
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