Kingston, Ont. health unit issues new self-isolation guidelines for vaccinated residents exposed to COVID-19

Kingston residents walk down the street wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Kimberley Johnson / CTV News Ottawa)

All close contacts of COVID-19 cases in the Kingston, Ont. region must now isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status, as the region deals with a record number of COVID-19 cases and the Omicron variant of concern.

The Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health Unit reported 131 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. Seventy-nine of the 131 cases involved residents in the 18 to 29 age group.

The health unit confirmed to CTV News Ottawa that there are 105 suspected cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant of concern in the region, with the samples sent for genome sequencing to confirm.

One case of the Omicron variant was confirmed in the Kingston, Ont. area on Wednesday, involving an individual with no history of travel.

To address the confirmation of the Omicron variant and record high COVID-19 cases in the region, the health unit is implementing enhanced case and contact measures.

All COVID-19 close contacts of cases must isolate for 10 days regardless of your vaccination status. If you are a close contact of a confirmed case and have not been contacted by public health, you are asked to self-isolate and get tested.

"All evidence appears to show that Omicron will spread more quickly than we’ve seen with the Delta variant,” said medical officer of health Dr. Piotr Oglaza in a statement.

"It's important that individuals follow our new contact tracing requirements to help limit the spread of COVID-19 in our region."

The health unit outlines the new requirements for all positive cases:

• All close contacts must self-isolate for 10 days from the date of their last exposure to an individual with COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status or previous positive result.
• Regardless of a negative PCR test result, close contacts are still required to self-isolate for 10 days from their last date of exposure.
• Seek PCR testing on or after day 7 as a clearance test, regardless of symptoms. If you do not complete a day 7 testing, you are required to self-isolate for an additional 10 days, or until receiving a negative test result.
• If a close (high-risk) contact of a person positive with COVID-19 is unvaccinated, their household members (regardless of immunization status) must also isolate until the close contact has a negative PCR test on day 7.
• If new symptoms occur, seek additional PCR testing immediately.

As of Friday, there are 618 active cases of COVID-19 in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health region. There are 32 people in hospital with COVID-19 related illnesses, including 12 in the ICU.

COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS IN THE KINGSTON AREA

The new self-isolation guidelines for close contacts is the latest in a series of new measures introduced by officials in the Kingston region to control the spread of COVID-19.

On Thursday, the health unit introduced new restrictions for businesses as COVID-19 cases surge.

A 'Letter of Instruction' outlined new restrictions for businesses, including requiring establishments to ask patrons to complete a COVID-19 screening tool.

Patrons can also only remove their masks when consuming food or a beverage, and must remain seated while eating and drinking.

Last month, the limit for private indoor gatherings was set at 10 people, instead of 25.