Health Minister Paul Merriman. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

By 650 CKOM News

Saskatchewan changes COVID-related self-isolation requirements

Jan 27, 2022 | 11:20 AM

Saskatchewan is altering its self-isolation requirements for people who test positive for COVID-19 as well as close contacts.

The changes are to take effect Friday.

“Changes that support a self-management approach need to balance any risk of community transmission with continuity for families, individuals and businesses,” read a document issued Thursday by the government.

“By reducing the burden of self-isolation for cases and contacts, it is expected to increase adherence to public health orders.”

In the release, the government said people who get a positive result from a PCR or rapid antigen test will have to self-isolate for five days regardless of their vaccination status.

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Previously, unvaccinated residents who had tested positive had to self-isolate for 10 days.

“If you are symptomatic and test positive, self-isolate five days from the date of testing or 24 hours after fever has resolved without the aid of fever-reducing medications and all other symptoms have been improving for at least 48 hours, whichever is later,” the release said.

As well, close contacts of positive cases will no longer have to self-isolate, regardless of their vaccination status.

Close contacts are being told to self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days after contact with the positive case, but they can go to work or school while self-monitoring.

They’re also being urged to use rapid antigen tests to do what the release called “asymptomatic surveillance.” Those tests are recommended immediately after contact and again on days three and five of the self-monitoring.

Close contacts should self-isolate if they become symptomatic and must self-isolate if they test positive.

“Parents and caregivers are no longer required to notify schools about positive test results for the purposes of close contact notification,” the release said. “Those who test positive are required to self-isolate and will be absent from school and activities for the duration of the self-isolation period.”

Anyone who currently is self-isolating for 10 days because they’re an unvaccinated positive case or a close contact of a case can change their self-isolation period as of noon Friday if they’re asymptomatic. People who are symptomatic must keep self-isolating until their symptoms abate.

All other public health measures currently in place — masking in indoor public places, self-isolation for confirmed cases, and proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test to gain access to some establishments — remain in effect.

More to come.