The Upshur-Buckhannon Health Department recently released new information on prioritizing case investigations and what to do if you test positive or are exposed to someone with COVID-19. For the latest updates, follow the health department on Facebook.

Updated mitigation strategies and guidance

As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, so have public health mitigation strategies and guidance. The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ Bureau for Public Health continues to transition from universal case and contact tracing to a more strategic approach of targeted case investigations and outbreak investigations. This pivot is an important step as the pandemic moves toward becoming an endemic in West Virginia, and the world.

If you test positive for COVID-19, public health departments will promote self-care education to all positive cases by way of text, email, or other means, but will no longer conduct universal case investigation and contact tracing. Public Health Departments will no longer provide release from quarantine or return to work letters. Please follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance if you test positive or have been exposed to COVID-19. This guidance can be found below or on the CDC Website.

The following is attributable to CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky: “The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society. CDC’s updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses. These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives. Prevention is our best option: get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial and high community transmission, and take a test before you gather.

If You Test Positive for COVID-19 (Isolate)

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status
• Stay home for 5 days.
• If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
• Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
• If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.

If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)

If you have been boosted OR completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months
• Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
• Test on day 5, if possible.
• If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home.

If you completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted OR completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted OR are unvaccinated

• Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
• If you can’t quarantine you must wear a mask for 10 days.
• Test on day 5 if possible.
• If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home.

Prioritizing Case Investigations (replaces guidance issued Sept. 3, 2021)

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health (BPH) understands that local health departments are facing continued unprecedented challenges and demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. On January 24, 2022, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and several other federal partners released a statement recommending a revised public health approach to case investigation and contact tracing for COVID-19. Please review the full statement, which includes public health strategies for COVID-19 prevention and care.

BPH continues to transition from universal case and contact tracing to a more strategic approach of targeted case investigations and outbreak investigations. This pivot is an important step as the pandemic moves towards becoming an endemic in West Virginia, and the world. The below criteria are for prioritizing case investigation activities.