Ontario government changing COVID-19 isolation requirements for most residents
Posted March 9, 2022 11:35 am.
Last Updated March 9, 2022 6:26 pm.
The Ontario government has announced it will be changing COVID-19 isolation requirements, including dropping a requirement for non-household contacts who are unvaccinated or immunocompromised to isolate.
The updated guidance was announced on Wednesday as part of a suite of measures that will see an end to most mask mandates.
“The guidelines are being updated to minimize the burden on workers and families while ensuring that our highest-risk settings continue to be protected,” Dr. Kieran Moore told reporters Wednesday morning.
For people who don’t live with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 but were identified as a close contact (being within two metres of someone for longer than 15 minutes) of someone who did, no one will need to self-isolate. Before Wednesday, those who are unvaccinated or immunocompromised were required to isolate for 10 days (or five days if they are under 12).
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For people who are immunocompromised, they were told they “should” isolate for a 10-day period and for 10 days after that they were advised to take additional personal safety precautions (such as wearing masks and staying away from highest-risk settings).
However, all people were encouraged to not visit those at higher risk of illness or highest-risk workplaces unless they tested positive within 90 days, self-monitor for symptoms and wear a mask.
The highest-risk settings were defined as hospitals, complex continuing care facilities, paramedic services, long-term care and retirement homes, First Nations elder care lodges, shelters, hospices, group homes and correctional facilities.
When it comes to being in close contact with someone that tested positive for COVID-19 who lives in the same household, those 18 and older with three COVID-19 vaccine doses, someone who tested positive for COVID-19 within 90 days and those under 18 who have received two vaccine doses will no longer be required to isolate. Before Wednesday, all those in the household were required to isolate.
