Case Investigation & Contact Tracing

Hunterdon Investigation & Tracing

As of January 17, 2021

The Hunterdon County Health Department Public Health Nurses receive reports on all lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 in County residents. Our team interviews each case to provide isolation guidance, and conduct contact-tracing for individuals exposed and recommend quarantine.

The Hunterdon County Health Department follows the guidelines established by the Center for Disease Control and New Jersey Department of Health.

What to Do

If you test positive for COVID-19 or have COVID-like symptoms, you should isolate yourself from others for:

  • At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared and
  • At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication and
  • Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving; loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation

If you had severe illness from COVID-19 (you were admitted to a hospital and needed oxygen), your healthcare provider may recommend that you stay in isolation for longer than 10 days after your symptoms first appeared (possibly up to 20 days) and you may need to finish your period of isolation at home.

I tested positive for COVID-19 but had no symptoms

If you continue to have no symptoms, you can be with others after:

  • 10 days have passed since the date you had your positive test

Visit the CDC website to learn the steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 if you're sick.

If you have been exposed to COVID-19:

People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19-excluding people who have had COVID-19 within the past 3 months.

People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered do not have to quarantine or get tested again as long as they do not develop new symptoms. People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms.

Close Contact

Visit the CDC website to learn about close contact.

  • You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more
  • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
  • You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
  • You shared eating or drinking utensils
  • They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you

Stay home and monitor your health

  • Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
  • Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19
  • If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19

State of New Jersey Travel Guidance

Visit the New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub to learn about the travel guidelines.

New Jersey strongly discourages all non-essential interstate travel at this time.

Travelers and residents returning from any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging following recommendations from the CDC:

  • If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1 to 3 days before the trip and again 3 to 5 days after the trip
  • If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time
  • If travelers test negative, they should quarantine for a full 7 days after travel
  • If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for 10 days after travel

The advisory is no longer specific to certain states. Because of the rising number of case counts across all states, there is an increased risk of spread of COVID-19 upon return from any travel.

Information for Schools, Parents & Students

For individuals with close contact to a confirmed case, NJDOH continues to recommend a 14-day quarantine.

View the full guidance document (PDF) for K-12 schools from NJDOH.