On April 6, 2022 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated its COVID-19 Isolation/Quarantine Guidance. This latest update removes quarantine recommendations for asymptomatic exposed persons and includes updated definitions for “close contact” and “infectious periods” language.

Since February 28, 2022, the CDPH has shifted its COVID-19 priorities to focus on high-risk individuals/settings, recommending strategies proven to reduce COVID-19 community transmission (e.g., handwashing, close contact masking, vaccinations and booster shots). According to the CDPH several elements have combined to warrant a change in quarantine recommendations. This includes the discovery that the COVID-19 virus now has a shorter incubation period, the fact that many have been vaccinated and boosted, and the development of effective treatment options reducing hospitalizations, death, and strain on infrastructure.

NOTE: California employers remain subject to Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS).