Isolation period for Saskatchewan COVID cases reduced to 10 days

People who test positive for COVID-19 in Saskatchewan won’t have to spend as long in isolation.

Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province’s chief medical health officer, announced Thursday the isolation period for COVID-positive individuals is being reduced from 14 days to 10 days.

“This change is being made on the basis of emerging evidence that shows that for most people, they are not infectious 10 days after testing positive or start of symptoms,” Shahab said during a media conference. “This allows people who are COVID positive to return to their daily activities sooner if they’re healthy.”

People who currently are in self-isolation still should wait for a call from public health to confirm they are considered recovered.

Shahab stressed the change applies only to COVID-positive cases; people who are deemed close contacts of positive cases still have to isolate for 14 days.

“This is because it can take up to 14 days for contacts to become symptomatic,” Shahab said, “and then if they become a case secondarily — which about a third of contacts do — then they will have to isolate for a further 10 days.”

Shahab said people who are immunocompromised should follow the advice of public health officials or their own health-care providers when it comes to the length of their isolation periods.