Following a rapid rise in positive COVID-19 cases, Inyo County Public Health is urging residents and visitors to follow proper guidance and protocols upon receiving a positive COVID-19 test result to help mitigate further spread.

The dramatic increase in positive COVID-19 cases is impacting the Public Health Contact Tracing Team’s ability to provide timely contact tracing services and issuance of Isolation & Quarantine Order letters. Moving forward, Inyo County Public Health will not be issuing letters to individuals.

It is important that infected individuals adhere to the following guidance to help mitigate further spread:

1. Stay Home and Isolate

• Everyone—regardless of vaccination status, previous infection, or lack of symptoms: isolate for five (5) days.
• Isolation can end after day five (5) – if symptoms are not present and a diagnostic test specimen* is collected on day five or later and the result is negative.
• If released after day five (5), the individual must wear a mask for an additional five (5) days. (see Guidance for the Use of Face Mask)
• If symptoms are not resolving – continue to isolate until symptoms are resolving or until after day ten (10)
• If fever is present, isolation should be continued until fever resolves.
• If unable to test or choosing not to test and symptoms are not present or are resolving, isolation can end after day ten (10).

2. Notify Exposed Individuals

• Notify all individuals that you have been in close contact with over the prior week before testing positive; including any indoor setting (with or without masks) and in close proximity (6 feet or less). Encourage them to test for COVID-19 infection

3. Severe Symptoms

• If your experience severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath or if your symptoms do not improve, contact your medical provider or report to the nearest Emergency Room. *Antigen test preferred.

The Public Health COVID-19 Contact Tracing Team will continue to provide contact tracing services as quickly as possible, but residents are encouraged to follow the guidance outlined above until they are contacted.

Isolation & Quarantine Orders are available for review and reference in [English] and [Spanish] on the Inyo County COVID-19 Orders & Guidance webpage.