Contact tracing and quarantine in the context of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant: Interim Guidance

15 February 2022

In response to the current wave of COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant of concern, WHO has published interim guidance to reflect the following changes to contact tracing and quarantine:

• Countries may consider shortening the quarantine period to 7 days with the addition of a PCR or Ag-RDT administered by qualified personnel and could be ended after day 10 without testing if the contact presents no symptoms (WHO does not at this time recommend self-administered tests to shorten quarantine).
• Recently vaccinated contacts (<90 days) can be considered as lower priority for contact tracing or undergo the previously mentioned shorter quarantine where resources are limited and/or health systems are overstretched.
• Contacts who have been infected in a context where Omicron is the dominant variant (i.e. whose infection was likely caused by Omicron) could quarantine for a shorter period, as they could be considered a lower priority in settings where contact tracing and quarantine capacities are stretched.
• When the health system is under extreme pressure because of a high caseload and when many health workers are off work due to exposures or infections, health workers who have had high-risk exposure but have received a vaccination booster or recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection within 90 days may continue to work with no quarantine if they are asymptomatic.