Guide: CDC guidelines on ending isolation for people who had COVID-19 and symptoms

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines on ending isolation for people who had COVID-19 and symptoms.

News 12 Staff

Jan 5, 2022, 6:19 PM

Updated 1,058 days ago

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines on ending isolation for people who had COVID-19 and symptoms.
Below is the guidance to help you figure out how long you should isolate after getting COVID-19:

1. When should you start isolation?

The CDC says that if you had COVID-19 and had symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days. To calculate your 5-day isolation period, day 0 is your first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed.

2. When should you end isolation?

You can end isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved (Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation).

3. Continue wearing a mask

You should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for 5 additional days (day 6 through day 10) after the end of your 5-day isolation period. If you are unable to wear a mask when around others, you should continue to isolate for a full 10 days. Avoid people who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease, and nursing homes and other high-risk settings, until after at least 10 days.

4. What if you continue to have a fever?

If you continue to have fever or your other symptoms have not improved after 5 days of isolation, you should wait to end your isolation until you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved.

5. Traveling

Do not travel during your 5-day isolation period. After you end isolation, avoid travel until a full 10 days after your first day of symptoms. If you must travel on days 6-10, wear a well-fitting mask when you are around others for the entire duration of travel. If you are unable to wear a mask, you should not travel during the 10 days.

6. Avoid places without a mask until after 10 days

Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask, such as restaurants and some gyms, and avoid eating around others at home and at work until a full 10 days after your first day of symptoms.

7. What about testing?

If an individual has access to a test and wants to test, the best approach is to use an at-home rapid test after the 5-day isolation period. If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. If your test result is negative, you can end isolation, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10.