If You Are Sick
If you get sick, there are important actions to take.
- Stay at home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both:
- Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
- You have not had a fever without using fever-reducing medication
- Use prevention strategies below for 5 days when you resume normal activities.
If you are at risk for severe illness, talk to your health care provider right away. Treatments may be available for you.
When you are sick, pay attention to your symptoms to help you decide when you are well enough to leave home. Your symptoms should be mild and you should be well enough to take part in your normal activities. The time people need to stay home may be different depending on how sick they are and the length of symptoms. This period could be shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19.
If your fever is gone and your symptoms are getting better and stay better for 24 hours, you are typically less contagious. But, it still takes more time for your body to fully get rid of the virus. When you start getting back to your daily routine, use core and additional prevention strategies described below for 5 days.
Learn more about what to do when you are sick.
