Lassen Cares announces county will follow new California Public Health recommendations regarding COVID-19
The California Department of Public Health has updated guidance for local health jurisdictions on isolation and quarantine of the general public and, according to the Lassen Cares website, Lassen County’s Public Health Department will follow the CDPH’s recommendations listed below:
• Updated isolation and quarantine recommendations for the general public, in alignment with timeframe recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Recommends additional mitigation measures, including testing to exit isolation and quarantine and improved masking.
• Clarified that fully-vaccinated persons who are booster-eligible, but have not yet received their booster dose are now recommended to quarantine per updated CDC recommendations.
• Included Appendix to determine when a person is “booster-eligible.”
Isolation Orders
Isolated individuals must isolate themselves in a residence and shall follow all directions in this order until they are no longer at risk for spreading COVID-19. Individuals are recommended per CDPH guidelines to:
• Stay home for at least five days.
• Isolation can end after day five if symptoms are not present or are resolving and a diagnostic specimen collected on day five or later tests negative.
• If unable to test or choosing not to test, and symptoms are not present or are resolving, isolation can end after day 10.
• If fever is present, isolation should be continued until fever resolves.
• If symptoms, other than fever, are not resolving continue to isolate until symptoms are resolving or until after day 10.
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings.
Quarantine Orders
Self-quarantine is necessary because an individual is at high risk for developing and spreading COVID-19. Individuals who are unvaccinated or have not received their booster shot are recommended per CDPH guidelines to:
• Stay home for at least five days, after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19. Test on day five.
• Quarantine can end after day five if symptoms are not present and a diagnostic specimen collected on day five or later tests negative.
• If unable to test or choosing not to test, and symptoms are not present, quarantine can end after day 10.
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings.
To prevent you from possibly spreading COVID-19 to uninfected people, you must restrict activities and limit all movements that may put you in contact with others during the isolation period
• Stay at home except to get medical care.
• Separate yourself from other people in your home. Do not have any visitors.
• Wear a mask over your nose and mouth in indoor settings, including at home, especially if immunocompromised or around those who are immunocompromised, unvaccinated, or at risk for severe disease.
• Avoid sharing rooms/spaces with others; if not possible, open windows to outdoor air (if safe to do so) to improve ventilation or use portable air cleaners and exhaust fans.
• Avoid using the same bathroom as others; if not possible, clean and disinfect after use.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.
•Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or if you can’t wash your hands, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Clean or disinfect “high-touch” surfaces.
• Monitor your symptoms.
• If you have symptoms or are sick, you should stay away from others even if they have some protection by having been previously infected in the past 3 months or by being fully vaccinated.
To read CDPH’s full guidance, visit:
cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Guidance-on-Isolation-and- Quarantine-for-COVID-19-Contact-Tracing.aspx.
If you feel like you or someone you care for is exhibiting symptoms, please call your local provider or Public Health 251-8183 from 8 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
2022 testing schedule
The Lassen County Public Health Department, located at 1445 Paul Bunyan Road, Suite D, offers COVID-19 testing from 9 to 11 a.m. Mondays and from 9 to 11:30 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Monday, Jan. 3, no appointment necessary. The PHD offers PCR testing only. Have your social security number or insurance information with you at the time of testing. Schedules are subject to change and exclude holidays. For more information, call 251-8183.
2022 vaccination schedule
According to the statement on Lassen Cares, “Due to a decrease in demand, Lassen County Public Health will be reducing COVID-19 testing and vaccines beginning (Monday) Jan. 3, 2022. Our partner agencies and local pharmacies have increased their testing and vaccine accessibility, which will allow for continued availability for the community.”
The Public Health Department and the Incident Command for Lassen County COVID-19 response would like to remind the public of the following simple steps which can reduce or prevent the spread of any respiratory illness, including COVID-19:
• Get vaccinated.
• Wear a mask if/when possible.
• Wash your hands with liquid soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or if you do not have soap you can use alcohol-based sanitizer of at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing, do not use your hands.
• Regularly clean surfaces touched frequently by people.
• Practice social distancing recommendations by the CDC, such as reducing your interactions in large groups or crowds and unnecessary trips into the public.
• Symptoms of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) range from mild symptoms to severe illness and they may appear 2-14 days after exposure. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to, fever, cough, shortness of breath, sudden loss of taste or smell. Residents 65 years or older and individuals with underlying medical conditions are particularly vulnerable to contracting the virus.
• Follow any additional guidelines recommended by the CDC.
The Lassen County Public Health Department, located at 1445 Paul Bunyan Road, Suite D, offers COVID-19 vaccinations from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays (Moderna) and from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Thursdays (Janssen and Pfizer 12+). Schedule appointments at myturn.ca.gov or by calling 251-8183.
Current statistics
These numbers are the most recent reported by Lassen Cares, the agency in Lassen County that reports COVID-19 statistics to the public, as of 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5.
Lassen County COVID-19 counts
Community Cases
• 39 active cases;
• 13 new cases;
• 4,172 recovered cases;
• 1 currently hospitalized;
• 59 deaths;
• 4,271 total cases;
• 26 percent fully vaccinated active cases;
• 0 percent fully vaccinated hospitalized; and
• 8,385 vaccine doses administered (only reflects vaccine doses administered by Lassen County Public Health).
Correctional Institution Cases
There has been a total of 3,856 inmate cases in Lassen County.
California Correctional Center
• 0 active case; and
• 1,434 recovered cases.
High Desert State Prison
• 0 active cases;
• 2,067 recovered cases; and
• 2 deaths.
Federal Correctional Institution, Herlong
• 4 active cases; and
• 348 recovered cases.