If you have COVID-19, you can spread the virus to others. There are precautions you can take to prevent spreading it to others: isolation, masking, and avoiding contact with people who are at high risk of getting very sick. Isolation is used to separate people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from those without COVID-19.
Regardless of vaccination status, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home:
- Wear a high-quality mask if you must be around others at home and in public.
- Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask.
- Do not travel.
- Stay home and separate from others as much as possible.
- Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
- Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible.
- Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
- Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (like trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.
End isolation based on how serious your COVID-19 symptoms were.
- If you had no symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5.
- If you had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5 IF:
- You are fever-free for 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medication
- Your symptoms are improving
- If you still have a fever or your other symptoms have not improved, continue to isolate until they improve. Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation.
After you have ended isolation, when you are feeling better wear your mask through day 10. If you have access to antigen tests, you should consider using them. With two sequential negative tests 48 hours apart, you may remove your mask sooner than day 10.
*After you have ended isolation, if your COVID-19 symptoms recur or worsen, restart your isolation at day 0. Talk to a healthcare provider if you have questions about your symptoms or when to end isolation.
Learn more here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html
*If you are employed in a healthcare or congregate living setting, please seek further guidance from your employer.
If you test positive for COVID-19 and are more likely to get very sick, treatments are available that can reduce your chances of hospitalization and death. Dont delay - treatment must be started within days after you first develop symptoms to be effective. Use the Treatment Locator: https://covid-19-test-to-treat-locator-dhhs.hub.arcgis.com/
If you are in need of a isolation letter for work or school, please fill out this form: https://hipaa.jotform.com/203144665290150