Isolation/Quarantine Ordinance

PURPOSE

To assure that timely and effective declarations of true emergencies relative to the health and well-being of the residents of St. Clair County are enacted and to assure that all measures are taken to prevent and contain secondary transmission of diseases and/or conditions.

 Definitions:

  • Isolation is the separation for the period of communicability of infected individuals and animals from other individuals and animals, in places and under conditions as will prevent the direct or indirect transmission of the infectious agent from infected individuals or animals to other individuals or animals who are susceptible or who may spread the agent to others.
  •  Quarantine is a period of detention for persons or animals that may have been exposed to a communicable disease. The purpose of quarantine is to prevent effective contact with the general population.
    • (A)  Complete quarantine is a limitation of freedom of movement of persons or animals exposed to a communicable disease, generally for a period of time not longer than the longest period of communicability of the disease, in order to prevent effective contact with the general population.
    • (B)   Modified quarantine is a selective, partial limitation of freedom of movement of persons or animals determined on the basis of differences in susceptibility or danger of disease transmission. Modified quarantine is designed to meet particular situations and includes, but is not limited to, the exclusion of children from school, the closure of schools and placers of public or private assembly and the prohibition or restriction of those exposed to a communicable disease from engaging in a particular occupation.
  • Embargo, for the purposes of this ordinance, is the detention of food, medicine, supplies, equipment or other materials until such time as a determination can be made as to whether the products or items require condemnation and destruction in the interest of safeguarding public health, whether the items are safe or may be salvaged, decontaminated or disinfected.

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

  • I. Declaration of Public Health Emergency. The Director of the St. Clair County Public Health Center or the director’s designated representative, shall have the power to declare a public health emergency or crisis and establish such isolation, quarantine and/or embargo as may be deemed necessary to protect the health and well-being of the residents and citizens of St. Clair County against infectious, contagious, communicable or dangerous diseases and conditions. Those diseases include but are limited to those listed in 19 CSR 20-20.010 (36) and (37), and 19 CSR 20-20.040, 19CSR 20-20.050 and 19 CSR 20-20.060, and Chapter 196 RSMo.
  • II. Notice and Assistance. If there is an imminent public health danger requiring the establishment of isolation, quarantine or embargo, the St. Clair County Public Health director or designee shall immediately notify the Board of Trustees and the County Emergency Preparedness Director, who shall then assist with notifying and obtaining the assistance of law enforcement and other necessary personnel, as further set forth in the County emergency preparedness plan. The Director shall work in conjunction with the County Emergency Preparedness Director, and such local law enforcement, the State Health Department and laboratory, medical personnel and CDCP, as he deems necessary.
  • III. Authority of Director. The County Health Director or designee shall have authority within the county to do one or more of the following.
    • a) Identify persons (and/or animals) subject to quarantine and/or isolation, whether by name, by group, by location or by any other reasonable means;
    • b) Determine the geographic boundaries of the quarantine or isolation, and, in connection therewith, post signs, cause doors to be locked or guarded and/or roadways to be blocked;
    • c) Establish precautions to be taken by emergency personnel and any other persons entering or leaving the quarantine or isolation area;
    • d) Assist in making arrangements for food, shelter and medical care for any persons subject to quarantine or isolation;
    • e) Establish zones within a quarantine area depending upon likelihood of exposure.
    • f) Authorize the movement and method of transportation of persons subject to quarantine or isolation.
    • g) Determine and establish the length of time which the quarantine or isolation is imposed;
    • h) Close any school or place of public or private assembly;
    • i) Inspect any premise that he/she has reasonable grounds to believe are in a condition conducive to the spread of any communicable disease;
    • j) Collect specimens or samples for laboratory analysis to confirm or rule out the presence of biological, chemical or physical agents and determine the source of the infection, epidemic or exposure;
    • k) Confer with medical advisors, laboratories or others making report of such conditions;
    • l) Make a complete epidemiological, environmental or occupational industrial hygiene investigation and record the findings as indicated.
    • m) Provide the opportunity to immunize all contacts or persons suffering from the disease (if available);
    • n) Establish other control measures including disinfection or decontamination;
    • o) Order examinations necessary to determine presence of food borne, water-borne or vector-borne infection or disease;
    • p) Exclude persons who are infected with a communicable disease from the production, preparation, manufacture, packaging, storage, sale, distribution, or transportation of foods;
    • q) Exclude food supplies known or suspected to transmit food borne infection from distribution and use, and order the destruction of embargoed foods and supplies pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 196 RSMo.
  • IV. Penalty for violation of quarantine, isolation or embargo. Any quarantined or isolated person who leaves the boundary established, or who intentionally exposes or contacts another person shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Each occasion is a separate offense.
    Any unauthorized person who enters or leaves an area of isolation of quarantine shall upon conviction, be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Each occasion is a separate offense.
    Any unauthorized person who moves or attempts to move any quarantined or embargoed animal or thing shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Each occasion is a separate offense.
  • V. Rights of affected persons. Any person subject to a quarantine or isolation shall have access to telephone, wireless communication and email communication, to the extent available. Any person subject to isolation or quarantine shall be entitled to petition the court for a declaration as to whether the imposition of this ordinance upon him or her is reasonable under the circumstances, and to a hearing before a circuit court judge on an expedited basis. Said person may present evidence by telephone or other electronic means.

AUTHORITY

  • Chapters 192.010 et sec, 196.010 et sec, 205.010 et sec including 205.100 which provides “The county commission or commissions shall annually at their February meeting, appoint the director of the public health center as county health officer and such county health officer shall exercise all of the rights and perform all of the duties pertaining to that office as set forward under the health laws of the state and rules and regulations of the department of health and senior services.” (For those laws – see Chapter 192.020 and 192.260 R.S.Mo.)
  • Also 19 CSR 20-20.020, 19CSR 20-20.010 (36) and (37), 19 CSR 20-20.040, 19 CSR 20-20.050, 19 CSR 20-20.060.

 BE IT ORDAINED AS FOLLOWS:

  • Section 1: The Commission hereby promulgates and adopts the Ordinance regarding the Administration of Isolation/Quarantine as recommended and requested by the St. Clair County Health Department. A copy of said Ordinance is attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference.
  • Section 2: The County Clerk is hereby ordered to have the attached ordinance printed and available for in their office for distribution to the public.
  • Section 3: A copy of this order shall be published in a newspaper in this County on three successive weeks, with the first publication occurring not later than thirty (30) days after the passage of this order.

Copyright (c) 2007
by the St Clair County Health Center
Osceola, Missouri

This page updated 12/28/2006
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