admin
Mon, 02/16/2026 - 16:39
Edited Text
If I am under home isolation or quarantine, when is it safe for me to discontinue this
procedure?
Individuals with COVID-19 under home isolation:
Persons with COVID-19 who have symptoms and were directed to care for themselves at home may discontinue home
isolation under the following conditions:
•
•
At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of feverreducing medications AND improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath);
AND,
At least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
For example, if day 0 is the onset of illness, persons with COVID-19 that are afebrile and have no respiratory symptoms
as of day 3 must remain isolated until day 7. Someone with COVID-19 who still has a fever or respiratory symptoms until
day 10 cannot be released until day 13.
Individuals with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who have not had ANY symptoms may discontinue home isolation
when at least 7 days have passed since the date of their first positive COVID-19 diagnostic test and have had no
subsequent illness.
Household contacts of persons with COVID-19:
Because exposure is considered to be ongoing within the house, household contacts of persons with COVID-19 must be
quarantined for 14 days after the case has been released from isolation. This means that household contacts will need to
remain at home longer than the initial case.
For non-household contacts of persons with COVID-19:
People who had close contact* with a person with COVID-19 must be quarantined for 14 days from the date of last
contact with the person with COVID-19.
If someone had close contact* with a COVID-19 case prior to the case becoming symptomatic, there was no exposure
and no quarantine is necessary.
* Close contact is defined as:
•
Being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time; close
contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with
a COVID-19 case
– OR –
•
Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on)
procedure?
Individuals with COVID-19 under home isolation:
Persons with COVID-19 who have symptoms and were directed to care for themselves at home may discontinue home
isolation under the following conditions:
•
•
At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of feverreducing medications AND improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath);
AND,
At least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
For example, if day 0 is the onset of illness, persons with COVID-19 that are afebrile and have no respiratory symptoms
as of day 3 must remain isolated until day 7. Someone with COVID-19 who still has a fever or respiratory symptoms until
day 10 cannot be released until day 13.
Individuals with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who have not had ANY symptoms may discontinue home isolation
when at least 7 days have passed since the date of their first positive COVID-19 diagnostic test and have had no
subsequent illness.
Household contacts of persons with COVID-19:
Because exposure is considered to be ongoing within the house, household contacts of persons with COVID-19 must be
quarantined for 14 days after the case has been released from isolation. This means that household contacts will need to
remain at home longer than the initial case.
For non-household contacts of persons with COVID-19:
People who had close contact* with a person with COVID-19 must be quarantined for 14 days from the date of last
contact with the person with COVID-19.
If someone had close contact* with a COVID-19 case prior to the case becoming symptomatic, there was no exposure
and no quarantine is necessary.
* Close contact is defined as:
•
Being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time; close
contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with
a COVID-19 case
– OR –
•
Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on)