The Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services extended COVID-19 public health orders.
Just a day after Boone County recorded a single-day record of two-hundred and twenty-six COVID-19 cases, public health orders have been extended relating to the pandemic.
Parts of the orders include an extension of the 10:30 curfew for bars, restaurants and entertainment venues that serve alcohol as well as a face mask requirement for those aged ten-years and older in Boone County when social distancing cannot be achieved.
Columbia/Boone County Health Educator Ashton Day said that it’s important that citizens continue to follow mitigations of COVID-19, especially while cases are increasing.
“It’s like what I call a ‘domino effect’. While yes, people at the gathering, maybe one or two became infected. Then if they spread it to even more at a different gathering, it just spreads like that,” said Day.
The orders have been extended through December 22nd.
The Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department also released additional ways to shorten quarantining if one has no symptoms.
Quarantining can end after ten days or seven days with a negative PCR test.
Day said that the full fourteen days is still important.
“However, the full fourteen day quarantine is still the best way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and is the safest option,” said Day.
If someone ends their quarantine early, they should continue to wear a mask around people and monitor symptoms.