What to Do if You are Sick or Possibly Exposed
Updated January 19, 2022
There are many possible symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough or shortness of breath. Here is guidance on what to do:
- I tested positive for COVID-19
- I was exposed to someone with COVID-19
- Someone in my home has COVID-19
- I’m a healthcare worker
- I’m a business owner or manager
I Tested Positive for COVID-19
The table below is adapted from the CDC.
Calculating IsolationDay 0 is your first day of symptoms or if you haven't had any symptoms, the day of your positive viral test. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed or your test specimen was collected. |
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| IF YOU Tested positive for COVID-19 OR have symptoms, regardless of vaccination status |
Stay home for at least 5 days Stay home for 5 days and isolate from others in your home. Wear a well-fitted mask if you must be around others in your home. People who cannot wear a mask, including children under 2, should isolate for 10 days. |
Ending isolation if you had symptoms End isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and your symptoms are improving. If you were severely ill with COVID-19 You should isolate for at least 10 days. Consult your doctor before ending isolation. Ending isolation if you did NOT have symptoms End isolation after at least 5 full days after your positive test. |
Take precautions until day 10 Wear a mask Wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to mask. Avoid travel Avoid being around people who are high risk. You don’t need a negative test to stop isolating. |
Other things you should do
- If you had a positive at-home test, report your result. If you or your child has a positive at-home test, you can report your result to help Public Health better understand the level of COVID in our community. You should also try to receive a follow-up PCR test collected at a clinic or community test site within 48 hours to confirm the test result.
- Monitor your symptoms and call before visiting your doctor. If you have an appointment, be sure you tell them you have or may have COVID-19.
- Tell your employer, school, or child care center about your diagnosis.
- If you are having a medical emergency, call 911. Notify dispatch that you have or may have COVID-19.
- Notify your close contacts. People in your household, and others you had close contact with need to get tested, stay home, and self-monitor for symptoms. See our exposure guidance for details.
- Take steps to limit the spread of COVID in your household. This means covering coughs and sneezes, wearing a mask around others in your household, avoiding sharing household items like dishes and bedding, washing your hands often, and cleaning "high touch" surfaces (like counters, doorknobs, and remotes) every day.
- You don’t need a test to end isolation. If you have access to a test and want to test, the best approach is to use an antigen test towards the end of your 5-day isolation. If you test negative, you can end isolation after meeting the other criteria to stop isolating. If you test positive, you should continue to isolate for your full 10-day isolation period and can stop isolating on day 11.
- PCR/NAAT tests are not recommended for individuals who recently tested positive because with those tests you can test positive for up to 3 months after your initial positive test.
I was exposed to someone with COVID-19
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says “close contact” is if any of the following situations happened while you spent time with a person with COVID-19 during their isolation period, even if they didn’t have symptoms:
- You were within 6 feet of a person who had COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
- You had direct exposure to respiratory secretions (for example, being coughed or sneezed on, sharing a drinking glass, utensils, towels or other personal items).
- You had direct physical contact with the person (for example, a hug, kiss, or handshake).
- You cared or care for a person who has COVID-19.
- You lived or live with a person who has COVID-19.
- You stayed overnight with them for at least one night in the same household.
The table below is adapted from the CDC.
Calculating QuarantineThe date of your exposure is considered day 0. Day 1 is the first full day after you last contact with a person who has had COVID-19. Stay home and away from other people for at least 5 days. |
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| IF YOU Were exposed to COVID-19 and are NOT up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations Not up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations means you have not received all of your COVID vaccine doses, including any boosters that you are eligible for. |
Quarantine for at least 5 days Stay home Stay home and quarantine for at least 5 full days. Wear a well-fitted mask if you must be around others in your home. Get tested Even if you don't develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. People who cannot wear a mask, including children under 2, should quarantine for 10 days. |
After quarantine Watch for symptoms Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. If you develop symptoms isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitted mask around others. |
Take precautions until day 10 Wear a mask Wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask. Avoid travel Avoid being around people who are high risk |
| IF YOU Were exposed to COVID-19 and are up-to-date with vaccination OR had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days (not an antibody or home test) Up-to-date on COVID vaccinations means you received all of your COVID vaccine doses, including any boosters that you are eligible for. |
No quarantine You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms. Get tested Even if you don't develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. If you had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days, you do not need to get tested. If you develop symptoms, consult with your primary care provider. |
Watch for symptoms Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. If you develop symptoms isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitted mask around others. |
Wear a mask Wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask. Avoid travel Avoid being around people who are high risk |
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.
Someone in my home is sick from COVID-19
- See the CDC guidance, Caring for Someone Sick at Home.
- The sick person should be in their own room and should have their own bathroom, if possible. They should have the door closed, and food and other needs should be left outside their door for them to pick up.
- The CDC has additional guidance for how to clean and disinfect your home if someone is sick, including how to clean surfaces, linens, dishes, and trash.
- The CDC also has information about how to minimize risk if you live in a house with close quarters (e.g., small apartment with more than one person or a house with multiple generations).
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.
I’m a business owner or manager
See our webpage What to Do If an Employee is Sick or was Possibly Exposed for more information.