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COVID-19: What to Do If You Test Positive or are Exposed

Melrose Health Department Outlines What to Do if You Test Positive For or Have Been Exposed to COVID-19
Posted on: December 30, 2021 - 4:25pm
Navigating COVID-19

If you've been exposed to someone with COVID-19, begin to experience symptoms, and/or test positive for the COVID-19, you may be asked to self-quarantine or self-isolate. The Melrose Health Department hopes to answer as many of your answers as possible through sharing the below COVID-19 guide to testing positive or being exposed. Please note, there is a downloadable and sharable version of this table at the bottom of the webpage.
                                            

Breaking it Down the Difference Between Quarantining and Isolating

Isolate: Separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

 


Quarantine: Separates and restricts the movement of people exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.
 

 

If you test positive for COVID-19

The CDC recommends that you isolate.
 

Who needs to isolate when they test positive:

Everyone, regardless of their vaccination status.


How to isolate:
 

Stay home for 5 days and then continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days. If your fever or other symptoms continue, stay home until your fever resolves.

If you are exposed to COVID-19

The CDC recommends that you quarantine if you are unvaccinated OR:
 

Completed either the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and have not received a booster, OR the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago, and have not received a booster.


How to quarantine:
 

Stay home and take a PCR test on the day 5 after being exposed. Continue to wear a mask for 10 days after your exposure.

 

What to Do If You’ve Been Exposed, Depending on Vaccination Status

If you have received a Booster

OR

Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months

OR

Completed the primary series of the J&J vaccine within the last 2 months.

 

 

 

The CDC recommends you wear a mask around others for 10 days.

On day 5, get a PCR test on day 5, & stay home if you develop symptoms.

 

 

 

 

If you are un-vaccinated
 

OR
 

Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted
 

OR
 

Completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted

The CDC recommends you stay home for 5 days.

After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.

On day 5, take a PCR test. If your test is positive, isolate for 5 more days, and continue to wear a mask.

If you develop symptoms, get another PCR test.

 

 

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