Post-shift isolation and quarantine. We answer the most common questions

On February 15, changes to isolation and quarantine entered into force. The government decided, inter alia, about their shortening and the exclusion of certain groups of people from the obligation to isolate themselves. How long is the isolation of a person infected with the coronavirus and quarantine of their co-household members now and how is it going? Can you be released from this obligation? If so, under what conditions? Here are answers to the most common questions about isolation and quarantine after recent changes.

1. According to the new rules, isolation and quarantine for co-household members lasts seven days
2. You can leave the place of seclusion earlier, but you must meet certain conditions
3. The text also explains the current situation of travelers coming to Poland
4. Respond before it’s too late. Get to know your Health Index!
5. You can find more about the coronavirus on the TvoiLokony home page

I have a positive PCR test – what next?

From the moment you receive a referral for the PCR test, you are quarantined. This changes when the test result appears in the system. If it is negative, you are automatically released from quarantine, but it is worth remembering that it will “disappear” from the system only at midnight (if you receive the coronavirus test result in the morning, the quarantine is valid until 23.59 on that day). If the PCR test is positive, quarantine turns to isolation.

1. See alsowhat rules apply to your isolation due to COVID-19

How long is the isolation (February 2022)?

From February 15, 2022, isolation lasts for seven days. More precisely, according to the governmental website, patient.gov.pl, if the primary care physician does not decide to extend the time of home isolation, it ends:

1. in people with symptoms of COVID-19 – 24 hours after the symptoms disappear, but not less than seven days after the onset of symptoms,
2. in asymptomatic individuals – seven days after obtaining a positive result (days in quarantine before obtaining the test result are not included).

Who can be released from isolation early?

Some groups of people may end their home isolation because of COVID-19 early. This includes health care workers and people who care for residents of social care homes. The condition for shortening the isolation is to perform two PCR tests at least 24 hours apart and obtain a negative result from both tests.

1. Also check: How long do we contaminate with Omikron?

As for people from outside these groups, the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate commented on this in detail in a letter of December 14, 2021.

«For people who are not employees necessary to ensure the continuity of care for people infected with COVID-19 (medical staff or nursing home staff) possible shortening the insulation based on negative results from two consecutive positive tests should only be restricted to people who:

1. do not show symptoms of acute infection and 
2. have documented history of SARS-CoV-2 infection or history of COVID-19 within the last 45 days from the date of detection of the infection with the RT-PCR or antigen test ».

I am tested positive for the antigen test – am I related to isolation?

In case of a positive result of the private antigen test, it is absolutely necessary to stay at home and self-isolate. Although home tests can sometimes falsify the result (especially if done incorrectly), it is rather unlikely if the result is positive.

1. See also: Home tests for COVID-19. How to do them? What mistakes to avoid?

Experts point out that a negative antigen test result should not be taken as sure proof that we are not infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but a positive result is likely to indicate it and therefore we should isolate ourselves from other people. The Ministry of Health and experts – both doctors and virologists – also call for a positive result to be verified with a PCR test.

1. Check it out: They got a referral, they didn’t take the test. How many Poles are in the gray zone?

The rest of the text below the video.

My family member is infected with the coronavirus – am I quarantined?

Yes. You are a person at risk of coronavirus infection, so you should separate yourself from other people to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus. Healers are an exception, but not all. Only those who have recovered from COVID-30 up to 19 days earlier are released from quarantine.

1. Read also: They can live with someone with COVID-19 and never get infected. Why? Scientists know several reasons

COVID-19 at home. How long is my quarantine now?

If there is a COVID-19 isolator in your home, you are under quarantine. Until now, the time of isolation has been 17 days (isolation time for an infected household member + seven days, in case you develop symptoms of the infection later). From February 15, quarantine lasts the same as isolating a sick person, i.e. seven days. The same goes for quarantine for travelers from the Schengen area and from outside the Schengen area.

Can I end my quarantine early?

If you provide benefits to people suffering from COVID-19 (for example, you are a doctor or a nurse), you can leave the quarantine after five days. This rule also applies to uniformed services: soldiers and officers of the Police, Border Guard, State Fire Service and the State Protection Service.

There is coronavirus in my child’s nursery / kindergarten / school. Is my child in quarantine?

According to the new rules, it is not. Abolition of the so-called contact quarantine means that people who have had contact with the infected coronavirus are no longer subject to mandatory quarantine.

This means that if your child’s group / class has confirmed COVID-19 in someone (another child, teacher, institution worker with whom the child had or may have come into contact), they may attend classes as normal. The same rule applies to any adult who has had contact with a person infected with SARS-CoV-2, e.g. at work.

Contact quarantine does not apply from February 11.

1. Also read: Generation Q – childhood under the sign of quarantine

My family comes to Poland for winter holidays. Do they have to go into quarantine?

It depends. In general, travelers were not released from quarantine, but quarantine was reduced to seven days. However, the quarantine for travelers does not apply to persons who:

1. are fully vaccinated and may present a valid covid certificate or other document confirming that they have been vaccinated, in Polish or in English,
2. are convalescents with the EU COVID-19 Certificate or other document (as above),
3. tested negative for COVID-19 (performed within the last 48 hours),
4. are under 12 years of age and traveling with adults who are vaccinated or have a valid negative coronavirus test result
5. are subject to other exemptions listed in the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of May 6, 2021 on the establishment of certain restrictions, orders and bans in connection with the occurrence of an epidemic. 

If your loved ones belong to any of these groups, from February 11, they can easily reach you without going into quarantine.

1. From February 1, covid certificates are valid for a shorter period. How long is your immunization valid? [WE EXPLAIN]

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