Tennessee issued an emergency rule that set forth quarantine procedures related to COVID-19. The rule is effective from Dec. 22, 2021 to June 20, 2022.
Update Jan. 6, 2022: Tennessee has released new guidance that lowers the period of isolation to five days in certain circumstances, while continuing to require masking.
The Details:
The emergency rule provides guidance on quarantine and isolation procedures for businesses and individuals to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
Business Quarantine:
Under the emergency rule, a private business may be temporarily quarantined when the Commissioner of Health or their designee determines that the potential for transmission of COVID-19 to people on an employer’s premises poses a serious public health or safety threat that is not effectively managed by mitigation measures.
Note: An employer’s quarantine will end when the serious public health or safety threat no longer exists.
Individual Quarantine:
Under the emergency rule, a person who tests positive for COVID-19 must now immediately isolate for at least five days from the date of:
- their specimen collection that resulted in the positive test result (for individuals without COVID-19 symptoms); or
- the initial onset of symptoms. They must continue to isolate until they can show improvement in symptoms and have been fever-free (without using fever-reducing medication) for at least 24 hours.
Note: A person may end isolation at any time following a negative test result for COVID-19.
Next Steps:
Tennessee employers should train their management, HR personnel and employees on the emergency rule. Please contact your dedicated service professional with any questions.