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Should I isolate or quarantine myself and under what circumstances?

Should I isolate or quarantine myself and under what circumstances?

Self-isolation is voluntary isolation at home by those who have or are likely to have COVID-19 and are experiencing mild symptoms of the disease (in contrast to those who are severely ill and may be isolated in a hospital). The purpose of self-isolation is to prevent spread of infection from an infected person to others who are not infected. If possible, the decision to isolate should be based on physician recommendation.

If you are caring for someone in your household who has COVID-19, consider staying in a separate room and take other precautions necessary to avoid contracting the highly contagious virus.

When to Self-Isolate

It may be reasonable to isolate yourself in a number of circumstances, whether or not you are presenting symptoms consistent with COVID-19.

  • If you have tested positive for COVID-19.
  • If you have been exposed to the new coronavirus and are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing), whether or not you have been tested.
  • You should strongly consider self-isolation if you have been tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting test results.
  • You may also consider self-isolation if you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) but have not had known exposure to the new coronavirus and have not been tested for the coronavirus. In this case, it may be reasonable to isolate yourself until your symptoms fully resolve, or until you are able to be tested for COVID-19 and your test comes back negative.

Should I Self-Quarantine if I Was Exposed to COVID-19?

The purpose of self-quarantine, as with self-isolation, is to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19.

Self-quarantine is voluntary quarantine at home a step further than self-isolation by those who may have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus but are not experiencing symptoms associated with the disease. Quarantining means staying home and away from other people as much as possible for a 14-day period when the virus may be present but not presenting symptoms.

Persons who are self-quarantined who are not living alone should consider keeping themselves at a distance from other members of their household, including using separate bathrooms and limiting potential exposure via laundry, dishes and contact with shared surfaces.

We are still awaiting consistent public health guidance on the question of who should self-quarantine. When possible, the decision to quarantine should be based on physician recommendation.

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