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. 2023 Jul 26;77(2):212-219.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad163.

Isolation and Quarantine for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in the United States, 2020-2022

John E Oeltmann  1 , Divya Vohra  2 , Holly H Matulewicz  2 , Nickolas DeLuca  1 , Jonathan P Smith  3 , Chandra Couzens  2 , R Ryan Lash  1 , Barrington Harvey  1 , Melissa Boyette  1 , Alicia Edwards  1 , Philip M Talboy  1 , Odessa Dubose  1 , Paul Regan  1 , Penny Loosier  1 , Elise Caruso  1 , Dolores J Katz  1 , Melanie M Taylor  1 , Patrick K Moonan  1
Affiliations

Isolation and Quarantine for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in the United States, 2020-2022

John E Oeltmann et al. Clin Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Public health programs varied in ability to reach people with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their contacts to encourage separation from others. For both adult case patients with COVID-19 and their contacts, we estimated the impact of contact tracing activities on separation behaviors from January 2020 until March 2022.

Methods: We used a probability-based panel survey of a nationally representative sample to gather data for estimates and comparisons.

Results: An estimated 64 255 351 adults reported a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test result; 79.6% isolated for ≥5 days, 60.2% isolated for ≥10 days, and 79.2% self-notified contacts. A total of, 24 057 139 (37.7%) completed a case investigation, and 46.2% of them reported contacts to health officials. More adults who completed a case investigation isolated than those who did not complete a case investigation (≥5 days, 82.6% vs 78.2%, respectively; ≥10 days, 69.8% vs 54.8%; both P < .05). A total of 84 946 636 adults were contacts of a COVID-19 case patient. Of these, 73.1% learned of their exposure directly from a case patient; 49.4% quarantined for ≥5 days, 18.7% quarantined for ≥14 days, and 13.5% completed a contact tracing call. More quarantined among those who completed a contact tracing call than among those who did not complete a tracing call (≥5 days, 61.2% vs 48.5%, respectively; ≥14 days, 25.2% vs 18.0%; both P < .05).

Conclusions: Engagement in contact tracing was positively correlated with isolation and quarantine. However, most adults with COVID-19 isolated and self-notified contacts regardless of whether the public health workforce was able to reach them. Identifying and reaching contacts was challenging and limited the ability to promote quarantining, and testing.

Keywords: COVID-19; contact tracing; isolation; quarantine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest. The authors: No reported conflicts of interest. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence and percentages of COVID-19 case patients (Panal A) and contacts (Panal B), aged ≥18 years who isolated or quarantined over time—United States, January 2020 to March 2022.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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