COVID Policy

Effective March 1, 2023, masks are no longer required at MHS. Clients and staff may choose to continue wearing masks at their own discretion. The CDC and MDH recommendations for when to wear masks in public are based on the CDC COVID-19 community level in your area. To see what your CDC community level is and the precautions for each level, visit CDC: COVID-19 by County.

This website is updated weekly.

At all COVID-19 Community Levels, the CDC recommends that you:

• Stay up to date on vaccination, including recommended booster doses.
• Maintain ventilation improvements.
• Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
• Follow recommendations for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
• Follow the recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19.
• If you are at high risk of getting very sick, talk to a healthcare provider about additional prevention actions.

What to do if you are exposed to COVID-19:

• You will be notified by your provider if you were exposed to COVID-19 while at MHS.
• You do not need to quarantine if you do not have any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Get tested at least five days after exposure.
• Wear a mask in public indoor settings for 10 full days following exposure.
• Consider wearing a mask at home for 10 full days if you live with someone who is immunocompromised, at increased risk of severe disease, or unvaccinated.
• Watch for symptoms for 10 days.
• If you start to have any symptoms, stay home and away from others immediately (isolate), get tested again, and follow other recommendations for if you are sick or test positive for COVID-19
• Further information can be found here

What to do if you test positive for COVID-19:

• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms, stay home and away from others (isolate) for at least 5 full days. You must wear a mask around others for 10 full days. You can end isolation on day 6 if:
  • You feel better. Your cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms are improved. and
  • You have had no fever for at least 24 hours, without using medicine that lowers fevers.
• If you got very sick from COVID-19 or have a weakened immune system, you should isolate for at least 10 days and consult your doctor before ending isolation.
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 but do not have symptoms, you must still stay home and away from others (isolate) for 5 days. You must wear a mask around others for 10 days from your positive test result.

Please refer to the CDC Quarantine and Isolation calculator, which is available here. It will help you determine when to start and end quarantine and isolation.

If there is evidence of community spread within a specific program group, that group may move to telehealth to mitigate potential exposure. Moving groups to telehealth will be determined on a case by case basis, and your provider will inform you of any changes to programming.

We want to thank you all for your continued support of each other through these challenging times by your compliance with our policies. We know it can be difficult at times, and we want to create a safe space for our services.

<!– June 2022

Vaccinated or not vaccinated, MDH strongly recommends that you:

• Wear a mask in specific settings or situations found at Recommendations for Wearing Masks.
• We require masks at all times while in our clinics
• Wash your hands often, with soap and water. Wash for at least 20 seconds.
• If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol.
• Stay home if you are sick. Wear a mask if you must go out.
• Cover Your Cough: cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue. Throw used tissues in the trash. Wash your hands.
• Clean and then disinfect surfaces. Learn more at CDC: Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home

If you have close contact with someone who has had a positive COVID-19 test (regardless of whether a test occurs at a clinic, testing site, at home, or at another setting), follow the appropriate guidance below:

• If you have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters when eligible:
• You do not need to quarantine if you do not have any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Get tested at least five days after exposure.
• Wear a mask in public indoor settings for 10 full days following exposure.
• Consider wearing a mask at home for 10 full days if you live with someone who is immunocompromised, at increased risk of severe disease, or unvaccinated.
• Watch for symptoms for 10 days.
• If you start to have any symptoms, stay home and away from others immediately (isolate), get tested again, and follow other recommendations at If You Are Sick or Test Positive.

• If you have not received all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters when eligible:
• Stay home and away from others (quarantine) for 5 full days.
• Wear a mask around other people for 10 full days.
• If you cannot wear a mask, stay home and away from people for 10 full days.
• Get tested immediately. If the test is negative, test again at least five days after the last time you were close to the person with COVID-19.
• Watch for symptoms for 10 days. If you start to have any symptoms, get tested again right away.
• If you test positive or start to have symptoms, follow the recommendations on If You Are Sick or Test Positive.
• For more information on when to get vaccinated, refer to the “If you have had recent close contact or mild illness” section on About COVID-19 Vaccine.

If you test positive for COVID-19:

• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms, stay home and away from others (isolate) for at least 5 full days. You must wear a mask around others for 10 full days. You can end isolation on day 6 if:
  • You feel better. Your cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms are improved.
    and
  • You have had no fever for at least 24 hours, without using medicine that lowers fevers.
• If you got very sick from COVID-19 or have a weakened immune system, you should isolate for at least 10 days and consult your doctor before ending isolation.
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 but do not have symptoms, you must still stay home and away from others (isolate) for 5 days. You must wear a mask around others for 10 days from your positive test result.
• If you attend in-person services at MHS, contact your therapist immediately to arrange for a temporary transfer to virtual services.

Please refer to the CDC Quarantine and Isolation calculator to help you determine when to start and end quarantine and isolation. The calculator is available here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html#

We want to thank you all for your continued support of each other through these challenging times by your compliance with our policies.  We know it can be difficult at times but we want to create a safe space for our services. –>

MHS Management and Staff