Author: Bob Lin

People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19

What counts as close contact?

• You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more
• You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
• You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
• You shared eating or drinking utensils
• They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you

Steps to take

Stay home and monitor your health

• Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19
• Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19
• If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19

Based on CDC, People with COVID-19 should be isolated for at least 10 days after symptom onset and until 24 hours after their fever subsides without the use of fever-reducing medications.

Quarantine or isolation: What’s the difference?

Quarantine keeps someone who might have been exposed to the virus away from others.

Isolation keeps someone who is infected with the virus away from others, even in their home.

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• New loss of taste or smell
• Muscle or body aches
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

• Limit contact
• Eat in separate rooms or areas
• Avoid sharing personal items
• Wear a mask or gloves
• Clean your hands often
• Clean and then disinfect
• Use lined trash can
• Track your own health

When washing and drying laundry

• Do not shake dirty laundry.
• Wear disposable gloves while handling dirty laundry.
• Dirty laundry from a person who is sick can be washed with other people’s items.
• Wash items according to the label instructions. Use the warmest water setting you can.
• Remove gloves, and wash hands right away.
• Dry laundry, on hot if possible, completely.
• Wash hands after putting clothes in the dryer.
• Clean and disinfect clothes hampers. Wash hands afterwards.

Based on CDC,

Provide support

Help cover basic needs

Help the person who is sick follow their doctor’s instructions for care and medicine.

For most people, symptoms last a few days, and people usually feel better after a week.

See if over-the-counter medicines for fever help the person feel better.

Make sure the person who is sick drinks a lot of fluids and rests.

Help them with grocery shopping, filling prescriptions, and getting other items they may need. Consider having the items delivered through a delivery service, if possible.

Take care of their pet(s), and limit contact between the person who is sick and their pet(s) when possible.

Watch for warning signs

• Have their doctor’s phone number on hand.
• Use CDC’s self-checker tool to help you make decisions about seeking appropriate medical care.
• Call their doctor if the person keeps getting sicker. For medical emergencies, call 911 and tell the dispatcher that the person has or might have COVID-19.

When to seek emergency medical attention

Look for emergency warning signs* for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.

• Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
• Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
• If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.
• Take a COVID-19 test.

Based on CDC,

• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
• Use a separate room and bathroom for sick household members (if possible).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• Provide your sick household member with clean disposable facemasks to wear at home, if available, to help prevent spreading COVID-19 to others.
• Clean the sick room and bathroom, as needed, to avoid unnecessary contact with the sick person.

If some people may need emergency medical attention with these signs,
Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility.

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

• Wash your hands often
• Avoid close contact
• Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Clean and disinfect
• Monitor Your Health Daily:
  Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath;
  Take your temperature if symptoms develop;

This is CDC recommandtion.

Based on CDC,

• People who have symptoms of COVID-19.
• People who have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.
• People who have been asked or referred to get testing by their healthcare provider, localexternal icon or state ​health department.

Not everyone needs to be tested. If you do get tested, you should self-quarantine/isolate at home pending test results and follow the advice of your health care provider or a public health professional.

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and want to get tested, call your healthcare provider first.