Onondaga County health officials will no longer be calling positive COVID-19 patients to distribute isolation orders, County Executive Ryan McMahon said Wednesday.
The changing definition comes as the state scales back its COVID-19 tracing efforts as a whole.
Instead, the transition turns to self-isolation methods, a predictable step, per McMahon, with the dawn of at-home testing that he says has made it more difficult to collect and trace case data and with the omicron variant that has rapidly spread in the community.
“As of Dec. 31, when we ended that, it means self-isolation,” clarified Onondaga County Health Director Dr. Indu Gupta on the change. “It doesn’t mean to stop what you’re doing with quarantines. It just means you’re not going to get that order from us. That’s the difference.”
Gupta said the end of tracing should be viewed as empowering to the community, putting their health back into their own hands, though she also warned that the responsibility to continue tracing should continue in individual workplaces and schools.
“People have done such a beautiful job in making sure they are protecting their workplaces for the most part, and that is what I’m hoping they continue to do,” said Gupta.
The county executive said that data collection and contact tracing within schools is still a top priority for the county, reiterating his belief that it is critical that students remain safe and in their classrooms.
In regards to potential quarantines for students and faculty within schools, McMahon said that booster shots are not included in the county’s definintion of “fully vaccinated.”
McMahon also reminded residents Tuesday that rapid asymptomatic testing will be available at Fayetteville Village Hall Wednesday for those looking to test. Residents can also find testing opportunities at Syracuse University, the Regional Market, at the state fairgrounds, Heritage Lincoln on West Genesee Street and in the old library at the former ShoppingTown Mall.
