Shortened quarantine time included in new state mandates

Nebraska’s latest directed health measures mirror Centers for Disease Control recommendations, shortening quarantine times for individuals who have been exposed to the coronavirus.

Gov. Pete Ricketts made the announcement during a Friday press conference. Mandates went into effect at 5 p.m., Dec. 3 and will continue through Dec. 31.

“Even with the good news we’ve had with regard to vaccines that are on their way, we do need people to continue to practice all the good methods we’ve learned throughout the course of this pandemic,” Ricketts said.

New guidelines state quarantine may discontinue, without testing, if at least 10 days have passed since close contact exposure and no COVID-19 symptoms have developed.

Individuals will self-monitor for symptoms. A facial covering will be required through day 14 since the last contact.

If an individual has completed coronavirus testing, quarantine may discontinue if at least seven days have passed since close contact exposure, no coronavirus symptoms have developed and results of a molecular or antigen specimen test is negative and was collected less than five days since close contact exposure.

Individuals will be required to self-monitor for symptoms and wear a facial covering through day 14 since the last close contact.

The governor noted hospitalizations have decreased over the past 10 days, but if the health dial moves from orange to red, additional mandates will be implemented.

Ricketts also announced that long-term care facilities across the state will have an opportunity to add essential caregivers.

“They’ve limited visitations. We know this is tough on the family. We know it’s tough on the residents, but it’s meant to make sure we don’t have virus outbreaks in long-term care facilities,” he said.

Per Ricketts’ recommendation, an essential caregiver - “a family member, friend or volunteer” - who will assist a long-term facility with residents.

“It allows residents to have more interaction ... or be an advocate for them,” Ricketts said.

Becky Wisell, interim director of health licensure and environmental health at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said nursing homes and assisted living facilities may choose to implement the program.

“An essential caregiver is a person who was previously engaged with the resident prior to the pandemic,” Wisell said. “It provides long-term care facilities an opportunity to supplement the limited staffing they currently have.”

The addition of essential caregivers will benefit residents by providing family members who have worked with residents, an opportunity to spend more time with them, alleviate stress on the health-care system and offer emotional support and quality of life for residents.

“It’s because of those exisiting relationships with the residents that essential caregivers are able to observe and communicate important details with facility staff about a resident’s change in condition or behaviors they might not consider normal for that resident,” Wisell said.

Each facility will establish policies how to utilize and designate an essential caregiver.

“This will take time. It isn’t something that will happen next week,” Wisell said. She encouraged caregivers to contact a facility’s administrator, director of nursing or social services director to determine criteria of an essential caregiver.

Caregivers will be required to undergo screening when entering a facility, use personal protection equipment and implement frequent hand hygiene. A limited number of essential caregivers will be allowed in a facility at one time.