Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19
Have you been exposed to someone with COVID-19? Or have you recently tested positive for Covid-19? If so, our friends at the CDC published recommended next steps you should take (regardless of whether you already had COVID-19 or have been vaccinated against it).
CDC Isolation recommendations for individuals with COVID-19
When To Isolate
Whether or not you have been vaccinated for COVID-19, you should isolate yourself from others when you have COVID-19. Additionally, it is recommended that you isolate yourself if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but have yet to receive test results. If you test negative, you can end your isolation. Yet, if you test positive it is recommended to follow the full isolation recommendations developed by the CDC as listed below.
The CDC states that when you have COVID-19, isolation is counted in days as follows:
If you had NO symptoms:
Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received your positive test result). Day 1 is the first full day following the day you were tested. If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset.
If you HAD symptoms:
Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset, regardless of when you tested positive. Day 1 is the first full day after the day your symptoms started.
Isolation
You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days. If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate yourself from others in your home.
The CDC recommends:
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.
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 are experiencing severe symptoms such as trouble breathing please seek emergency medical care immediately.
Ending Isolation
The CDC recommends individuals end isolation based on how serious their symptoms were.
*Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and are not used into consideration of delaying isolation*
If you had no symptoms
You may end isolation after day 5.
If you had symptoms
Your symptoms are improving- 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 not improving- continue to isolate until you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and your symptoms are improving.
If you had symptoms AND had
Moderate illness (you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing) you need to isolate through day 10.
Severe illness (you were hospitalized) or have a weakened immune system you need to isolate through day 10 and consult your doctor.
Regardless of when you end isolation until at least day 11:
Avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19.
Remember to wear a high-quality mask when indoors around others at home and in public.
Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask until you are able to discontinue masking.
