Communications Regarding the
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
COVID-19 Guidelines
We encourage everyone to continue to stay safe and follow county guidelines.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH) has aligned with the new California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine of the General Public. As of January 9, 2024, the guidelines for students returning to class after testing positive for COVID-19 are:
- Students may leave isolation as they have been fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medicines) AND they either have no symptoms or their symptoms are mild and improving. A negative COVID-19 test is no longer required to leave isolation between Day 6-10.
- Since a negative test is no longer required to return to class, students will no longer need to inform the office of Student Affairs of their positive test. They may communicate directly with their instructor.
The link to document is available at: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/isolation_quarantine_guidelines/LAC_DPH_Guidelines_for_COVID_cases_and_contacts.pdf
The isolation and quarantine periods from CDPH are described below. Further details can be found on the Department of Industrial Relations website and the California Department of Public Health webpage.
Recommendations for people who test positive
- Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.
- If you do not have symptoms, you should follow the recommendations below to reduce exposure to others.
- Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days* after you become sick or test positive (if no symptoms). You may remove your mask sooner than 10 days if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. Day 0 is symptom onset date or positive test date.
- Avoid contact with people at higher-risk for severe COVID-19 for 10 days*. Higher-risk individuals include the elderly, those who live in congregate care facilities, those who have immunocompromising conditions, and that put them at higher risk for serious illness.
- Seek Treatment. If you have symptoms, particularly if you are at higher risk for severe COVID-19, speak with a healthcare provider as soon as you test positive. You may be eligible for antiviral medicines or other treatments for COVID-19. COVID-19 antiviral medicines work best if taken as soon as possible, and within 5-7 days from when symptoms start.
Recommendation for close contacts of cases
- If you have new COVID-19 symptoms, you should test and mask right away.
- If you do not have symptoms, and are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection and would benefit from treatment, you should test within 5 days.
- If you do not have symptoms and have contact with people who are at higher risk for severe infection, you should mask indoors when around such people for 10 days. Consider testing within 5 days after the last exposure date (Day 0) and before contact with higher-risk people. For further details, see CDPH COVID-19 testing guidance.
Still have questions or concerns, please contact Stephanie Juanillo at 562-908-3405 or email sjuanillo@riohondo.edu.