ARCHIVED WEBPAGE: This web page is available for historical purposes. CDC is no longer updating this web page and it may not reflect CDC's current COVID-19 guidance. For the latest information, visit CDC's COVID-19 home page.

Important update: Healthcare facilities

CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. Learn more

Find the latest information:
Aquatics FAQs
Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People
COVID-19 Homepage

UPDATE

Given new evidence on the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, CDC has updated the guidance for fully vaccinated people. CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall with layered prevention strategies in place.

UPDATE

The White House announced that vaccines will be required for international travelers coming into the United States, with an effective date of November 8, 2021. For purposes of entry into the United States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines. More information is available here.

UPDATE

Travel requirements to enter the United States are changing, starting November 8, 2021. More information is available here.

Santa Clara County, California Community Mitigation

Updated Mar. 17, 2020

CDC’s recommendations for 30 day Mitigation Strategies for Santa Clara County, California, based on current situation with COVID-19 Transmission and affected health care facilities

Note: Santa Clara County has recently implemented many interventions included in the CDC guidance (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html).

The most recent recommendations from Santa Clara County can be found at: https://www.sccoe.org/news/featured/PublishingImages/Pages/Novel-Coronavirus-Information/03-09-20-Updated-Guidance-and-Orders%20ENGLISH.pdf pdf icon[PDF – 779 KB]external icon

The following describes CDC recommendations for community interventions in Santa Clara County.

Bottom Line Up Front:

Due to widespread transmission in Santa, Clara, CA, CDC recommends expanded and laser focused community mitigation activities to help slow the spread of respiratory virus infections including the novel coronavirus SARS-C0V-2, the cause of the disease COVID-19. These approaches are used to minimize morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 as well as to minimize the social and economic impacts of COVID-19. Individuals, communities, businesses, and healthcare organizations are all part of a community mitigation strategy. Given the focal community transmission in Santa Clara, CA, and the involvement of multiple health care facilities, substantial interventions should be implemented at this time, based on the urgency of protecting the health care system with expected rise in cases by slowing the spread within the community (Table) and focused on protecting the vulnerable members of the community.

Goals

The goals for using mitigation strategies for Santa Clara County at this time are to protect:

Individuals at risk for severe illness, including persons of any age with underlying health conditions, particularly among elderly adults (See Appendix A).
The healthcare workforce and critical infrastructure workforces

These approaches are used to minimize morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19 and minimize social and economic impacts of COVID-19. Individuals, communities, businesses, and healthcare organizations are all part of a community mitigation strategy.

Implementation emphasizes:

Emphasizing individual responsibility for implementation of recommended personal-level actions,
Empowering businesses, schools, and community organizations to implement recommended actions, particularly in ways that protect persons at risk of severe illness such as older adults and persons with serious underlying health conditions (e.g., Dialysis patients, congestive heart failure, emphysema)
Focusing on settings that provide critical services to implement recommended actions to protect critical infrastructure and individuals at risk of severe disease

Table. Community mitigation strategies for Santa Clara County

Community mitigation strategies for Santa Clara County
For Every Individual and Families at Home	Monitor local information about COVID-19 in your community. Practice personal protective measures (e.g. hand washing). Put household plan into action Ensure 30 day supply of all medicines. Individuals at risk of severe illness should stay at home avoiding gatherings or other situations of potential exposures, including travel, church attendance, social events with 10 or more people Other individuals without such risk factors should adapt to disruptions in routine activities (e.g., school and/or work closures) by using remote participation such as telework where feasible or online classes or home study (E-learning).
For Every School/Childcare Facility	Schools should arrange for students at risk of severe illness for distance learning, e-learning. Implement social distancing measures, e.g.: Cancel large gatherings (e.g., assemblies) Alter schedules to reduce mixing (e.g., stagger recess, entry/dismissal times) Limit all classroom mixing Limit inter-school interactions of all types Consider distance or e-learning in schools with higher risk populations (e.g., greater proportion of special needs children) Consider regular health checks (e.g., temperature and respiratory symptom screening on arrival at school) of students, staff, and visitors or home monitoring. Short-term dismissals for school and extracurricular activities as needed (e.g., if cases in staff/students) for cleaning and contact tracing Upcoming spring breaks could be extended (start early or extend by one week) to gain additional time for health care facilities to increase preparedness. Cancellation of all school-associated congregations, particularly those with participation of high-risk individuals. Consider implementing distance learning if feasible
For Every Assisted Living Facility, Senior Living Facility, and Adult Day Programs	Implement social distancing measures, e.g.: Cancel large gatherings (e.g., group social events with 10 or more people) Alter schedules to reduce mixing (e.g., stagger meal, activity, arrival/departure times) Limit programs with external staff Daily upon arrival temperature and respiratory symptom screening of attendees, staff. Staff should wear masks and wash hands thoroughly before entering and after exit of room of inhabitants Consider suspension of new admissions to facilities
Every Workplace	Encourage staff to telework (when feasible depending on job type) Expand sick leave policies Implement social distancing measures, e.g.: Spacing workers at the worksite Staggering work schedules Decreasing social contacts in the workplace (limit in-person meetings) All break areas must accommodate distancing with regular sanitization of all eating surfaces Eliminate large work-related gatherings (e.g., staff meetings, after-work functions) Cancel non-essential work travel Regular health checks on arrival each day (e.g., temperature and respiratory symptom screening) of staff and visitors entering buildings. Implement extended telework arrangements (when feasible) Ensure flexible leave policies for staff who need to stay home due to school/childcare dismissals and to encourage individuals to stay home if they are sick. Cancel work-sponsored conferences, tradeshows, etc.
Every Community and Faith-Based Organization	Implement social distancing. Reduce activities (e.g., religious services, group congregation), especially for organizations with individuals at risk of severe illness. Offer video/audio of events. Determine methods to continue providing support services to individuals at risk of severe disease (services, meals, checking in) while limiting group settings and exposures Cancel large gatherings (e.g., >250 people) or move to smaller groupings. Professional and college sporting events as well as concerts should be cancelled or broadcast without audience participation. For organizations that serve high-risk communities, cancel gatherings of more than 10 people and stagger access to support services. Consider canceling faith-based and community gatherings of any size or move to video-accessible venues or postpone/cancel.
Healthcare Settings and Healthcare Providers (Including Outpatient, Nursing Homes/Long-Term Care Facilities, Inpatient, Telehealth)	Consider implementing temperature/symptom checks for staff, visitors, limit visitor movement in the facility Implement triage before entering facilities (e.g. parking lot triage, front door); phone triage and telemedicine; limit unnecessary healthcare visits Actively monitor HCP absenteeism and respiratory illness among HCP and patients Actively monitor PPE supplies Establish processes to evaluate and test large numbers of patients and HCP with respiratory symptoms (e.g. designated clinics for people with fever, surge tent for overflow triage, offsite testing locations) Permit asymptomatic exposed HCP to work while wearing a facemask Cross train HCP for working in other units to support staffing shortages Restrict all visitors from facility entry to reduce facility-based transmission; exceptions for end-of-life visitors but restrict such visitors movement within the facility. Identify areas of operations that may be subject to alternative standards of care and implement necessary changes (e.g., allowing mildly symptomatic HCP to work while wearing a facemask) Cancel elective and non-urgent procedures Consider suspension of new admissions to facilities Establish cohort units or facilities for large numbers of patients Consider requiring all HCP to wear a facemask when in the facility depending on supply

Appendix A: Underlying medical conditions that may increase the risk of serious COVID-19 for individuals of any age.

Blood disorders (e.g., sickle cell disease or on blood thinners)
Chronic kidney disease as defined by your doctor. Patient has been told to avoid or reduce the dose of medications because kidney disease, or is under treatment for kidney disease, including receiving dialysis
Chronic liver disease as defined by your doctor. (e.g., cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis) Patient has been told to avoid or reduce the dose of medications because liver disease or is under treatment for liver disease.
Compromised immune system (immunosuppression) (e.g., seeing a doctor for cancer and treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation, received an organ or bone marrow transplant, taking high doses of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressant medications, HIV or AIDS)
Current or recent pregnancy in the last two weeks
Endocrine disorders (e.g., diabetes mellitus)
Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)
Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
Lung disease including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis or emphysema) or other chronic conditions associated with impaired lung function or that require home oxygen
Neurological and neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions [including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability, moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury].

Top of Page