What is considered a close contact of someone with COVID-19?

What is considered a close contact of someone with COVID-19?

For COVID-19, a close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes).

What should I do if I think I have been exposed to COVID-19 and have symptoms?

If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. If you have a medical appointment, call your doctor’s office or emergency department, and tell them you have or may have COVID-19.This will help the office protect themselves and other patients. You can also consult a healthcare provider through telehealth, if that is an option.

What will happen with my personal information during COVID-19 contact tracing?

See full answerDiscussions with health department staff are confidential. This means that your personal and medical information will be kept private and only shared with those who may need to know, like your health care provider.If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, your name will not be shared with those you came in contact with. The health department will only notify people you were in close contact with that they might have been exposed to COVID-19. Each state and jurisdiction use their own method for collecting and protecting health information. To learn more, contact your state or local health department.

Am I considered a close contact for COVID-19 if I was wearing a mask?

A person is still considered a close contact even if they were wearing a mask while they were around someone with COVID-19. You can call, text, or email your contacts. By letting your close contacts know they may have been exposed to COVID-19, you are helping to protect everyone.

Should I be tested if I have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19?

If you have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should be tested, even if you do not have symptoms of COVID-19. The health department may be able to provide resources for testing in your area.

What steps should you take after coming into close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19?

Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.

Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.

If possible, stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.

Should I get tested after a close contact with someone who has COVID-19 if I am fully vaccinated?

• If you’ve had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative.

How long does it take for symptoms of COVID-19 to appear after exposure?

Symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

How soon after COVID-19 exposure should you be tested?

People who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested to check for infection: Fully vaccinated people should be tested 5–7 days after their last exposure. People who are not fully vaccinated should get tested immediately when they find out they are a close contact.

What should employers know about COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing?

See full answerCOVID-19 is a nationally notifiable disease, and when diagnosed or identified, must be reported by healthcare providers and laboratories to STLT health departments. Health departments are responsible for leading case investigations, contact tracing, and outbreak investigations. Case investigation is the identification and investigation of individuals with confirmed and probable diagnoses of a reportable communicable disease, such as COVID-19. Contact tracing follows case investigation and is a process to identify, monitor, and support individuals who may have been exposed to a person with a communicable disease, such as COVID-19. Health departments also administer communicable disease control measures within their jurisdictions to protect public health.