Client Alert 
February 12, 2021

NY Follows CDC Lead on
Post-Vaccination Quarantine Requirements
Both the CDC and New York State have long required individuals to quarantine for a prescribed period after coming into “close contact” with someone with COVID-19 (and, in the case of New York, with someone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms), even if the individual remains asymptomatic. With the advent of the COVID-19 vaccine, many were hopeful that vaccinated individuals would not be subject to this post-close contact quarantine requirement.

Earlier this week, the CDC revised its guidance to allow “fully vaccinated” individuals to escape the post-close contact quarantine requirement, provided the vaccinated individual remained asymptomatic after such close contact. Yesterday, New York followed suit. An individual is considered “fully vaccinated” once the individual has received both doses of the vaccine and at least two weeks have passed since the second shot.
 
Accordingly, an individual who has been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 or who was experiencing COVID-19 symptoms no longer needs to quarantine if:

  • the individual has received both doses of the vaccine,
  • at least two (2) weeks have passed since the second dose,
  • less than three (3) months have passed since the individual was fully vaccinated, and
  • the individual remains asymptomatic after the close contact.
 
This should be a welcome development for employers. As the vaccine becomes more widely available, this exception will allow more employees to continue working after close contact with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, and increasingly obviate the need for employers to provide paid leave for such individuals. To ensure your business is taking advantage of this new exception, it is advisable to ask whether an individual has been fully vaccinated if they have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 or with someone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

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If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Ilan Weiser (iweiser@egsllp.com) or the primary EGS attorney with whom you work.

This memorandum is published solely for the informational interest of friends and clients of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP and should in no way be relied upon or construed as legal advice.