From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is asking anyone traveling to mainland China, on or after Jan. 22, 2020, to contact the Infectious Diseases and Outbreaks Division. Mainland China does not include Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has set interim exposure risk categories and movement restrictions for those who may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus. The categories are listed below. The ADPH will set requirements for travelers based on those categories.
At this time, no cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Alabama.
The number to call is 1 (800) 338-8374. The ADPH would like travelers to call as soon as they arrive in Alabama.
CDC CATEGORIES
High Risk (Stay at home. No public activities. Daily active monitoring by ID&O staff for 14 days after last exposure.)
· Travel from Hubei Province, China.
· Living in the same household as, being an intimate partner of, or providing care in a nonhealthcare setting (such as a home) for a person with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection without using recommended precautions for home care and home isolation.
· The same risk assessment applies for the above-listed exposures to a person diagnosed clinically with 2019-nCoV infection outside of the United States who did not have laboratory testing.
Medium Risk (Remain home. Avoid congregate settings including but not limited to classrooms, shared offices, churches, public transportation, and remain out of public places where close contact with others may occur. Daily active monitoring by ID&O for 14 days after last exposure.)
· Travel from mainland China outside Hubei Province
· Living in the same household as, an intimate partner of, or caring for a person in a nonhealthcare setting (such as a home) to a person with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection while consistently usingrecommended precautions for home care and home isolation.
· Close contact with a person with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection, and not having any exposures that meet a high-risk definition.
· The same risk assessment applies for close contact with a person diagnosed clinically with 2019-nCoV infection outside of the United States who did not have laboratory testing.
· On an aircraft, being seated within 6 feet of a traveler with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection; this distance correlates approximately with 2 seats in each direction.
AND not having any exposures that meet a high-risk definition
Low Risk (No restrictions unless symptoms develop at which time they should contact ID&O immediately. Self-Observation – report development of symptoms to ID&O immediately.)
· Being in the same indoor environment (a classroom, a hospital waiting room) as a person with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection for a prolonged period of time but not meeting the definition of close contact.
· On an aircraft, being seated within two rows of a traveler with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection but not within 6 feet AND not having any exposures that meet a medium- or a high-risk definition.