This month, both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) updated their COVID-19 guidance and removed the five-day isolation requirement for people who test positive for the virus. 

Under the updated guidance, people who test positive for the coronavirus should stay home and away from other people until their overall symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. After returning to normal activities, they should wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask for five days when they will be around other people indoors. This updated guidance brings a unified, comprehensive approach for managing COVID-19 and other common respiratory viral illnesses, such as the flu and RSV. 

“Thanks to COVID-19 vaccines and other precautions we took,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine, “we are now in a place where we can treat COVID-19 the way we treat other respiratory viral illnesses.” As a result, King County is sunsetting the Temporary COVID-19 Personnel Policy, almost four years to the day of issuing the first iteration.  

“Our region was the first in the country to experience a COVID-19 outbreak. We acted quickly and based our decisions on science. We listened to the experts and followed their guidance,” Executive Constantine said. “And thanks to your collective efforts, we were able to limit the spread of the virus and save thousands of lives, while continuing to deliver vital services for the people of this region.”  

As part of their update, the CDC continues to recommend that everyone take steps to reduce their risk of getting these viruses and spreading them to others, including getting recommended vaccinations, wearing high-quality masks in crowded indoor settings, and improving indoor air quality. You can learn more about the updated guidance in Public Health’s latest blog: Ask Public Health: What are the latest recommendations for staying at home when sick? 

“I want to thank Public Health’s Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin, who is retiring July 1, for his 30 years of service. His expertise and leadership during the pandemic – in conjunction with the efforts of the County’s public health professionals and partners – helped us save countless lives,” Executive Constantine stated. “I also want to thank our front-line employees who ensured customers had access to essential in-person services throughout the pandemic, and all employees who quickly adjusted their work to advance our priorities for this region.”