The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation has changed its guidelines for people quarantining after being exposed to someone with COVID-19.
The new guidelines mirror the federal guidelines issued last week by the CDC. People who have been fully vaccinated with either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine will no longer need to quarantine after being exposed to someone with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 if the vaccinated person meets all three of these criteria:
- They are fully vaccinated, meaning that it has been more than two weeks since receiving their second COVID-19 vaccine dose.
- It has not been longer than three months since receiving their second dose.
- They have remained asymptomatic since the exposure.
CDC guidelines also advise that people who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past three months and have recovered do not need to quarantine or get tested again as long as they do not develop COVID-19 symptoms.
The CDC recommends that people who are not fully vaccinated and have not recovered from COVID-19 quarantine at home for 14 days after being exposed to someone with COVID-19, and that they monitor themselves for symptoms of the virus.
YKHC will continue testing people who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. YKHC also encourages everyone age 16 and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. In Bethel, YKHC is offering vaccinations at the hospital, AC, Swanson’s, and the Old Senior Center in Housing Subdivision. Register for a vaccine using this link from YKHC: https://tinyurl.com/y7reeyst
YKHC has begun offering COVID-19 testing to every person visiting a YKHC facility, including the Bethel hospital and village clinics.
YKHC has reduced its hours at the Bethel COVID-19 drive-thru testing site, located in the parking lot of the YKHC administrative building. Testing will occur without an appointment from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Testing is available by appointment in Bethel by calling 907-543-6949 or by calling a local village clinic.
