Coronavirus: Can I self-isolate in a bedroom in a home with seniors?

NEWS 1130 is working hard to get you the information you need about the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are responding to your questions in a segment we call NEWS 1130 Gets Answers.

Question:

Cass: “If I stay in a house with people over 65, when I return from abroad, can I stay in an ensuite room for isolation (i.e. staying in the room for 14 days)?”

Answer:

While everyone entering the country has to self-isolate for 14 days, there is no requirement to do so in a completely different location than others.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control does, however, recommend keeping as much separation from others during those two weeks as possible – especially if they are more vulnerable to a potentially severe case of COVID-19, such as people over the age of 65.

“It is better if those you live with can stay somewhere else, especially if they have a weak immune system or chronic health conditions,” the BCCDC says.

So Cass can self isolate in a separate room in the same house, but she is advised to be extra careful.

The BCCDC also recommends she sleep in a room with good airflow, use a separate bathroom, wear a mask when in the same room as others, and avoid all face-to-face contact (the people Cass lives with can drop food off outside her door).

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