You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
When can I discontinue my COVID-19 quarantine?
- 14 days have passed since their last exposure to a suspected or confirmed case (considering the last exposure date to case as Day 0); and
- the exposed person has not developed signs or symptoms of COVID-19
What is considered a close contact of someone with COVID-19?
For COVID-19, a close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes).
What should you do if you have been around a person with COVID-19?
For Anyone Who Has Been Around a Person with COVID-19
Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after their last exposure to that person.
Does mask use help determine if someone is considered a close contact of COVID-19?
A person is still considered a close contact even if one or both people wore a mask when they were together.
How long should I stay in home isolation if I have COVID-19?
People who are severely ill with COVID-19 might need to stay home longer than 10 days and up to 20 days after symptoms first appeared. People with weakened immune systems may require testing to determine when they can be around others. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information.
When should I end isolation after a positive COVID-19 test?
Isolation and precautions can be discontinued 10 days after the first positive viral test.
How long after COVID-19 infection can I be around others?
You can be around others after:
10 days since symptoms first appeared and
24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving*
*Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation
What does a negative COVID-19 test result mean?
A negative test result for this test means that SARS- CoV-2 RNA was not present in the specimen or the RNA concentration was below the limit of detection. However, a negative result does not rule out COVID-19 and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions.
Can someone test negative and later test positive on a viral test for COVID-19?
Yes, it is possible. You may test negative if the sample was collected early in your infection and test positive later during this illness. You could also be exposed to COVID-19 after the test and get infected then. Even if you test negative, you still should take steps to protect yourself and others. See Testing for Current Infection for more information.
Should I get tested after a close contact with someone who has COVID-19 if I am fully vaccinated?
• If you’ve had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative.
What precautions should you take after returning from travel during the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel.
○ Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.
○ If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
○ If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
• Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
• Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements.
Do I need to get a post-arrival COVID-19 test after traveling if I was infected within the last 3 months?
If you recovered from a documented COVID-19 infection within the last 3 months, follow all requirements and recommendations for fully vaccinated travelers except you do NOT need to get a post- arrival test 3-5 days after travel unless you are symptomatic.
Do I need to get self-quarantine after a domestic travel if I am fully vaccinated against COVID-19?
You do NOT need to get tested or self-quarantine if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months. You should still follow all other travel recommendations.
When should you start and end quarantine per the CDC’s recommendation during the COVID-19 pandemic?
You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
How long does it take to recover from COVID-19?
Fortunately, people who have mild to moderate symptoms typically recover in a few days or weeks.
Who do masks protect from COVID-19: the wearer, others, or both?
We’ve known for some time that masks help prevent people from spreading the coronavirus to others. Based on an analysis of existing information, a new study contends that masks may also protect mask wearers from becoming infected themselves.
Different masks, writes the study author, block viral particles to varying degrees. If masks lead to lower “doses” of virus being inhaled, then fewer people may become infected, and those who do may have milder illness.
Researchers in China experimented with hamsters to test the effect of masks. They put healthy hamsters and hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the COVID-19 coronavirus) in a cage, and separated some of the healthy and infected hamsters with a barrier made of surgical masks. Many of the “masked” healthy hamsters did not get infected, and those who did got less sick than previously healthy “maskless” hamsters.
How does a surgical mask help to prevent contracting COVID-19?
If worn properly, a surgical mask is meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Surgical masks may also help reduce exposure of your saliva and respiratory secretions to others.
Under which circumstances are people not required to wear a face mask during the COVID-19 pandemic?
• while eating, drinking, or taking medication for brief periods of time;
• while communicating, for brief periods of time, with a person who is hearing impaired when the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication;
• if, on an aircraft, wearing of oxygen masks is needed because of loss of cabin pressure or other event affecting aircraft ventilation;
• if unconscious (for reasons other than sleeping), incapacitated, unable to be awakened, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance; or
• when necessary to temporarily remove the mask to verify one’s identity such as during Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening or when asked to do so by the ticket or gate agent or any law enforcement official.
What are some symptoms of COVID-19?
People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms may include: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea.
How long does it take for the COVID-19 symptoms to start showing?
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
Who should get tested for COVID-19 after exposure?
Most people who have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.
How long should I wait to get tested for COVID-19 after being exposed if I am fully vaccinated?
– If you have been fully vaccinated and around someone who has COVID-19 (close contact), you do not need to stay away from others (quarantine), or be restricted from work unless you develop COVID-like symptoms. We recommend that you get tested 3-5 days after your last exposure to someone with COVID-19.