WOODLAND, CA (MPG) - On November 19 the Yolo County Public Health Officer issued a health advisory for residents to quarantine after traveling due to rising cases of COVID-19 in the United States, in California and in Yolo County. Based on possible exposure to COVID-19 during travel, residents who travel to areas outside of California with higher COVID-19 rates pose a risk to local communities when they return to their homes.

The Yolo County Public Health Officer recommends that any person returning to Yolo County after travel to a higher-risk area outside of California should quarantine in their place of residence for 14 days upon their return.

This is a recommendation, not a requirement.

·         Individuals should quarantine regardless of the purpose of their travel. The risks presented by essential and non-essential travel are identical.

·         Yolo County is currently in the most restrictive Purple tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) considers COVID-19 transmission to be widespread in the Purple tier. Most of California’s counties are also currently in the Purple tier. Since Yolo County is at the same risk level as the rest of California, there is no need to quarantine after travel within California.

·         Residents, employers, and employees are advised to reference maps of COVID risk level before travel to make informed decisions and upon return from travel to determine the need for quarantine. Be sure to use a map that presents average daily cases or case rate for the previous one to two weeks, rather than total cases to date, in order to show current risk levels. If the risk level of the destination is higher the risk level in Yolo County, quarantine is recommended. The world and US maps here are user-friendly. 

·         A negative test during an individual’s quarantine period does not shorten the 14-day quarantine period.

·         Instructions for quarantine are available on the Yolo County website in: English, Spanish, and Russian.

“People who travel to areas outside California with higher COVID risk than in Yolo County could be bringing the coronavirus back into the Yolo community,” said Yolo County Public Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson. “That is why I am recommending that these individuals separate themselves from others for two weeks when they return.”

On November 13, CDPH issued a Travel Advisory to all Californians that recommends anyone arriving in California (including California residents) should quarantine for 14 days. CDPH also recommends that people limit their interactions to their immediate household only during this quarantine. To read the full Health Advisory visit: https://www.yolocounty.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=67299. For more information about Yolo County’s Roadmap to Recovery, visit: www.yolocounty.org/coronavirus-roadmap. Residents can call Yolo 2-1-1 for resource information. Follow Yolo County on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/YoloCounty or Twitter at: https://twitter.com/YoloCountyCA.