Should I self-quarantine or self-isolate? How does it work?

If you have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should self-quarantine for 14 days after your last close contact. Although 14 days is recommended, the CDC suggests that some individuals may be able to quarantine for a shorter period of time. Individuals without symptoms can end quarantine at day 10 without testing, or at day 7 if they receive a negative test result on day 5 or later. The length of time to quarantine may be decided by your state or local department of health. You should adhere to recommendations set forth by the department of health, as they may differ from the CDC’s guidelines

You do not need to quarantine if you have had COVID-19 within the last 3 months, have recovered, and do not have symptoms.

You do not need to quarantine if you have been vaccinated, it’s been two weeks to three months since your last dose, and you do not have symptoms. However, you should still monitor for symptoms for up to 14 days after your exposure.

For more information on self-isolation and self-quarantine, click here.

If you are a healthcare professional, first responder, frontline worker, or critical infrastructure worker and believe you have been directly exposed while at work, you should consult your place of work for specific occupational health guidance about whether to stay home or continue working. You should adhere to recommendations set forth by your employer or the department of health, as they may differ from the CDC’s guidelines.