Within the last month, guidance around what people should do if they have COVID-19 has changed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their guidance at the start of March, and the Washington State Department of Health issued an update on March 18 that largely aligns with CDC.
The takeaway: While other prevention measures for COVID remain the same, you no longer need to stay home and away from others for five full days after testing positive and/or developing symptoms. Instead, if you have a respiratory illness like COVID, flu or RSV, you should stay home and away from others until:
- your fever (if you had one) has been gone for at least 24 hours without the use of medicine like Tylenol, and
- your other symptoms (cough, achiness, trouble breathing, etc.) have improved for at least 24 hours.
It can be tricky to keep track of what’s new and what has stayed the same. So here are 4 key things to know.
1. Overall, your to-do list for staying healthy and keeping others healthy has not changed much.
- Stay updated on recommended doses of COVID vaccine and other immunizations. If you’re not sure what vaccines are right for you, talk with your doctor. You can find a vaccine provider near you using www.vaccines.gov. If you don’t have insurance that covers COVID vaccination, please check the “Bridge Access” option to find no-cost options.
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water. Carry hand sanitizer to use in a pinch. Clean hands help prevent a wide variety of illnesses.
- Gather outside or open windows to improve ventilation and reduce the spread of germs.
- Mask when appropriate. This includes when respiratory viruses are spreading – typically fall and winter – and you are in a healthcare setting, a crowded venue, or around high-risk individuals like older adults or people with underlying conditions.
2. The key change is in the timeline for staying home.
Instead of waiting five days to return to activities like work or school, you can get back at it after 24 hours without a fever and with other symptoms improving. This applies in the vast majority of community settings, including workplaces, schools, and child cares. There are some exceptions. Anticipate stricter guidance if you spend time in healthcare settings, shelters, or correctional facilities. Please continue to respect the guidance for the setting you are in.
3. “Symptoms improving” does not mean “I feel a little better than yesterday, but still crummy.”
While symptoms can vary, “improving” generally means that you are able to do activities without much disruption and with your normal amount of energy. Common symptoms like cough, runny nose, and body aches should be infrequent or gone entirely. If you’ve been fever-free for 24 hours but you still have a bad cough or significant fatigue, you should take more time to get well and make sure you aren’t spreading those germs. And remember: you’re waiting until your fever has been gone for a full day, not until a day after your fever starts. You may still have a fever 24 hours after you start feeling sick, or you may develop a fever after other symptoms have already started. Start your 24-hour countdown once the fever is gone.
4. Even if you’re not staying home for five days after you get sick, you should still take precautions.
Wear a mask that fits snugly over your nose and mouth when you’re around others. Basically, during the time that used to be the isolation period for someone with COVID, you should be masking up as an extra layer of protection to prevent the spread of illness.
More COVID info: