The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday released new isolation and quarantine guidelines for people infected with or exposed to Covid-19.
Important to note: These are guidelines, not mandates, but many industry groups and organizations use them to set their own policies. While these guidelines offer more detail, the old adage applies: If you feel sick, stay home.
Here is a list of basic things to know:
For people who test positive for Covid-19:
- Stay home and isolate for five days, regardless of whether you have symptoms. For symptomatic people, Day 1 is the first full day after symptoms developed.
- If you have no symptoms OR if symptoms are resolving after five days, you can leave isolation but should wear a mask around others — even at home — for five more days.
- If you have a fever — even a low fever that is going down — you should continue to isolate until your temperature is normal.
- There’s no need to test out of isolation after five days; tests can remain positive for months after Covid-19 infection, although you are no longer infectious.
For people exposed to Covid-19:
These are based on what studies show about how and when people are likely to infect others.
If you are boosted, have received your first two Pfizer or Moderna doses in the last six months or your single J&J dose in the last two months:
- No need to quarantine at home after exposure.
- Always wear a mask around others for 10 days.
- Test if you develop symptoms, or five days after exposure. People can be infected even without symptoms.
- If you test positive, you should begin to follow isolation guidelines.
If you are unvaccinated, or are eligible for a booster and haven’t received one:
- Quarantine at home for five days, and continue to wear a mask around others for five more days to be sure you don’t infect someone else.
- Test if you develop symptoms or five days after exposure.
- If you test positive, you should begin to follow isolation guidelines.
