MORGANTOWN — An apparent shift has occurred locally in regard to the length of isolation deemed necessary for individuals who test positive for COVID-19.
It was publicly announced Feb. 3 — not by the Monongalia County Health Department, but by Monongalia County Schools Superintendent Eddie Campbell Jr.
In a message to the “Monongalia County Schools’ Community,” Campbell explained that as of Monday, the district will no longer use contract tracing to quarantine students or employees.
Further, Campbell explained, “students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate for five full days following a positive test.”
Campbell explained those changes are based on the guidance of state and local health officials.
But one week prior, during the Jan. 27 meeting of the Monongalia County Board of Health, Dr. Lee Smith, the Monongalia County Health Department’s medical director, spoke strongly against the shortened isolation period when asked about the CDC’s announcement that cutting isolation periods from 10 to five days could be sufficient.
“The CDC released their press release, I believe, on Dec. 27 and thereafter admitted that it was not based on any science but on their projected feelings of what the American population would be willing to undergo with this explosion of cases,” Smith said then, reiterating his belief that a 10-day isolation period is the best practice.
“This has been our recommendation to the public schools …” Smith added, citing the American Medical Association data that indicated 31% of people are still infected and able to spread the virus after five days of isolation.
Smith continued.
“There are some concerns here lately that it’s been such an overpowering task to do contact tracings that some of the epidemiologists nationally have suggested ‘Lets just don’t do it at all,’ and I’m not sure that’s the right answer either,” he said.
The Dominion Post reached out to MCHD on Friday to ask if Smith was consulted on the school district’s decision and, if so, it meant the MCHD was changing its isolation and quarantine recommendations.
The MCHD initially responded that Smith was going to speak with members of the board of health and release further information.
The following quotes from Smith were provided a short time later.
“Everybody is in agreement that isolation can be cut from 10 days to five and, if symptoms are improving or resolved, you can wear a well-fitted mask and you can return while monitoring symptoms.”
Smith goes on to cite declining COVID numbers as reasoning behind the loosening of mitigation strategies.
According to information provided in the MCHD’s daily COVID update, the county had 943 active cases on Jan. 27 and 488 on Feb. 4.
“We will reserve the right to change these if things go sideways with additional deaths and spikes,” Smith added. “We will always be looking at these closely to see what’s in the best interest for our county.”
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