Increase seen in Marquette County COVID-19 cases

Marquette County continues to experience increases in COVID-19 cases. The Marquette County Health Department is encouraging everyone to still follow the recommended guidance to stop the spread.

While the Health Department attempts to follow up with individuals who test positive, review isolation recommendations, and determine close contacts, the response may be delayed.  You do not need to hear from the Health Department in order to begin your isolation if you have a positive test result or are a direct contact of someone who has COVID-19, to begin your quarantine. 

Individuals who test positive are asked to stay home and to separate themselves from others as well as notify any people they had close contact with, beginning two days prior to the start of symptoms or test date.  We ask that you stay isolated for at least 10 days after you first experience symptoms or at least 10 days after you were tested if you do not have any symptoms. 

A close contact is defined as anyone within 6 feet of a COVID-19 positive person for at least 15 minutes or who had direct contact such as a handshake, hug, or sitting next to a person. 

The following quarantine guidance is for individuals that are not fully vaccinated:

• Anyone identified as a close contact is asked to self-quarantine at home, monitor for symptoms and limit contact with others as much as possible.

• A 14-day quarantine remains the safest option if you are a close contact of someone how has CLOVD-19. 

• Quarantine may be reduced to 10 days, if showing no symptoms and provided people still monitor for symptoms for the full 14 days. 

• Quarantine may be reduced to 7 days if a person receives a negative test result (PCR or antigen) that was collected on day 6 or 7 after last contact with the person who is positive. 

The recommendations for fully vaccinated people who have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 is to be tested 3-5 days after exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. For more information on isolation and quarantine guidance, please visit www.dhs.wisconsin.gov.

If you have symptoms or have had direct contact with someone who has COVID-19, you are encouraged to get tested, using an antigen or PCR test. Unsupervised at-home tests are not recommended and do not get reported to the health department. If you are currently experiencing any symptoms, get tested, stay home, and limit contact with others as much as possible while you wait for results. If your symptoms are severe, please seek medical help by calling 911. 

Vaccination continues to be the best away to protect you, your family and your community. Marquette County Health Department continues to host weekly COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Please visit, www.co.marquette.wi.us, click on COVID-19 Information to find details about the vaccine clinics.