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For more information about the Healthy Living/Viviendo Mejor program, as well as other sites for classes, please contact Fabiola Guerra, Project Coordinator at the City of Laredo Health Department at (956) 721-4994.

Courtesy Noraida Negron,

Laredo, Texas – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated and shortened the isolation/quarantine period for anyone, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status, from 10 days to five days for asymptomatic cases or who come in contact with a COVID-19 positive person.

The CDC says this change comes after science demonstrates the majority but not all transmission of the virus occurs early in the course of the illness generally one to two days before the onset of symptoms and two to three days after. The Laredo Health Department will continue to exercise the 10-day isolation protocol for any COVID-19 positive because we are a medically underserved community, the state is experiencing a shortage of GlaxoSmithKline’s Sotrovimab (infusion), and the anticipated arrival of Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s Molnupiravir (oral medication) in our community. Once these resources arrive in Laredo the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) will evaluate and then introduce the CDC’s new guidance for our community.

Furthermore, the Health Department wanted to educate the community on the way the active cases are being reported from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Today, the agency reported 513 active cases for Webb County. Last week the Laredo Health Department shared the change in the formula of estimated active used locally to mirror that of the Texas Department of State Health Services. This change will be implemented on January 1st to align with the Texas Department of State Health Services estimated active cases count (confirmed PCR & probable Antigen – for the past 14 days). This will therefore display an increase of cases (10 to 14 days).