There are many possible symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough or shortness of breath. See guidance below on what to do if you tested positive for COVID-19, were exposed, or if someone in your home has COVID-19.

Isolation vs. quarantine:

You quarantine when you might have been exposed to the virus and may have been infected.

• Quarantine if you have been in close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has COVID-19, unless you have been fully vaccinated.
• Stay home, monitor for symptoms, and get tested 5 days after exposure. Learn how to monitor for symptoms here.
• Wear a mask if you have to be around others.

You isolate when you have been infected with the virus, even if you don’t have symptoms.

• Restrict activities outside your home, except for getting medical care.
• Separate from others as much as possible. Stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom if possible.
• Do not go to work, school or public areas.
• Wear a mask if you have to be around others.

Read more about quarantine and isolation here.

What is a close contact?

An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting two days before they have symptoms or two days before testing if they do not have symptoms. For this reason, "close contacts" include anyone in contact with a person with COVID-19 during the two days prior to symptoms or testing, until they meet the criteria to end isolation.

Close contact includes:

• Living with or caring for a person with confirmed COVID-19, OR
• Being within six feet of a person with confirmed COVID-19 for about 15 minutes (with or without a mask), OR
• Someone with COVID-19 coughing on you, kissing you, sharing utensils with you or you had direct contact with their body secretions.
• If you and/or the person with COVID-19 was wearing a face mask or covering during any of the above situations, you are still considered a close contact.

Read more about close contacts here.

Isolation Guidance:

Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is showing symptoms of COVID-19 needs to isolate regardless of their vaccination status. This includes:

• People who have a positive viral test for COVID-19, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. 
• People with symptoms of COVID-19, including people who are awaiting test results or have not been tested.
• Anyone with symptoms should isolate even if they do not know if they have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19.

Stay home and isolate yourself away from other people for at least 5 days (day 0 is the day symptoms began or the day the test was taken for those who are not experiencing any symptoms). You must wear a mask when around others at home and in public for an additional 5 days.

What to do for isolation:

• Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately. 
• Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible. 
• Wear a well-fitted mask when you need to be around others. 
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible. 
• Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible. 
• Avoid contact with other members if the household and pets.
• Do not share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
• Follow the guidance provided in this letter from the Winnebago County Health Department. Contact the health department for additional languages.

Ending isolation for people who tested positive for COVID-19 and experienced symptoms:

If you tested positive for COVID-19 and experienced symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days. To calculate your 5-day isolation period, day 0 is your first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms develop. You must isolate yourself for 5 full days. 

• You can end isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) AND your symptoms have largely resolved. 
• If after 5 days of isolation, you continue to have a fever or your symptoms have not largely resolved, you should wait to end your isolation until you are fever-free for 24 hours and your symptoms have largely resolved. Continue to wear a well-fitted mask. Contact your healthcare provider if you have questions. 
• You must continue to wear a well-fitted mask around others at home and in public for an additional 5 days after the end of your 5-day isolation. If you are unable to wear a mask when around others, you must continue to isolate yourself for a full 10 days.

Ending isolation for people who tested positive for COVID-19 and did not experience any symptoms:

If you tested positive for COVID-19 and never develop symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days. To calculate your 5-day isolation period, day 0 is the day you were tested. Day 1 is the first full day after your specimen was collected for your positive test. You must isolate yourself for 5 full days.

• You can end isolation after 5 full days if symptoms have not developed. 
• If you develop symptoms after testing positive, your 5-day isolation period should start over. Day 0 is your first day of symptoms. Follow the guidance bove for ending isolation for people who tested positive for COVID-19 and experienced symptoms.  
• You must continue to wear a well-fitted mask around others at home and in public for an additional 5 days after the end of your 5-day isolation. If you are unable to wear a mask when around others, you must continue to isolate yourself for a full 10 days.

Ending isolation for people who were severely ill with COVID-19 or have weakened immune systems (immunocompromised):

• The CDC recommends that people who are severely ill with COVID-19 and people with compromised immune systems isolate from 10 to 20 days. They may also require a viral test to determine when they can be around others. Consult with your healthcare provider about when you can resume being around other people.
• People who are immunocompromised should talk to their healthcare provider about the potential for reduced immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines and the need to continue to follow all current prevention measures. Close contacts of immunocompromised people - including household members - are encouraged to follow all current prevention measures to help protect these people.  

Quarantine Guidance:

COVID-19 spreads mainly from person-to-person through respiratory droplets and aerosols. If you find out that you’ve been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, you are at risk of infection.

You've been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 & you meet this criteria:

• Have been boosted OR
• Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR
• Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months OR
• Tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days.

Then:

• Wear a well-fitted mask around others for 10 days since your last contact.
• Test 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19, even if you do not have symptoms. If you test positive or develop symptoms, isolate from others and follow the isolation guidance above.

-If you tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days you do not need to get tested after close contact. 

OR You've have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 & you meet this criteria :

• 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 OR
• Tested positive for COVID-19 over 90 days ago OR
• Are unvaccinated 

Then:

• Stay home and quarantine for 5 days since your last contact. Day 0 is the last date of close contact. Day 1 is the first full day after the last date of close contact. You must stay home and quarantine for a full 5 days. 
• After a full 5 days of quarantine, continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
• If you can’t quarantine, you must wear a mask around others for 10 days. We strongly recommend quarantine as the safest option to prevent the spread of COVID.
• Test 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19, even if you do not have symptoms.

- If you test negative, you can leave your home, but continue to wear a well-fitted mask when around others at home and in public until 10 days after your last close contact. 

- If you test positive, you should isolate for at least 5 days from the day you were tested (if you do not have symptoms). If you develop symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days from the date your symptoms began. Follow the guidance above for isolation. 

- If you are unable to get test 5 days after last close contact with someone with COVID-19, you can leave your home after day 5 if you have been without symptoms throughout the 5-day period. Wear a well-fitted mask for 10 days after your date of last close contact when around others at home and in public. 

After Quarantine:

• Regardless of vaccination status, watch for symptoms until 10 days after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19. 
• If you develop symptoms, isolate immediately and get tested.

I’m a health care worker

Health care workers are subject to different recommendations due to widespread exposure to COVID-19 and their critical role.

Health care workers may follow CDC guidelines for critical workers if their employers want them to return to work.

Additional Resources:

• If you need documentation for work/school/travel regarding isolation and quarantine dates visit this page.
• Reminder: Someone who is sick with COVID-19 can spread it to others two days before they show any symptoms. Not everyone with COVID-19 will get sick. Those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, but never had symptoms, may still be able to spread it to others.  
• Once you test positive, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) does not recommend additional testing for at least 3 months from when your first symptoms developed. If you have new symptoms before 3 months or are immunocompromised, talk to your doctor about additional testing.
• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (Source: CDC)

• CDC Guidance: What to do if you're sick (Source: CDC)
• Quarantine & Isolation Guidance(link is external) (Source: CDC)
• What to do if you are sick or caring for someone who is sick (Source: CDC)
• Cleaning and disinfecting your home when someone is sick (Source: CDC)
• How to Avoid Exposure When Living with Someone Diagnosed with COVID-19(link is external) (Source: DHS)
• What to expect when a contact tracer calls (Source: DHS)
• Guide to masks (Source: CDC)
• Vaccine information and clinic locations: www.wcvaccine.org(link is external)
• If you’ve fully recovered from a verified COVID-19 diagnosis, your convalescent plasma donation may help up to 4 coronavirus patients in need! Donors are critically needed in Wisconsin. Learn more from the Red Cross and The Community Blood Center.

(link is exter