What if my COVID test is positive after quarantine? Here’s what the CDC should do – NBC Chicago

Should I remain isolated if my COVID-19 test is positive after quarantine and I have no symptoms?

by Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAlthough people are encouraged, they do not need to be tested for coronavirus after 5 days of quarantine after diagnosis.

The CDC can end the quarantine period after a full 5 days, if there is no antipyretic for 24 hours without taking antipyretics and other symptoms improve.

However, the CDC said the best approach is to find antigen testing towards the end of the five-day quarantine period. If the sample returns positive, health authorities advise people to quarantine until day 10. If the test returns negative, people can end the quarantine period, but continue to wear masks around others until the 10th day.

Dr. Allison Arwadi, Director General of Public Health, Chicago, detects “non-spreading dead nose COVIDs” that some PCR tests may return positive even if they are not infected with the virus. Said.

“This is not a change,” Arwady said. “That’s what we’ve seen forever. That’s why we don’t recommend getting a negative PCR test before returning to work … many studies show that PCR tests can stay positive. Because. ”

If a negative test was needed to get back to work, Arwady recommended that the patient be quarantined for the required period of time and receive a note from the healthcare provider that the fever and symptoms had disappeared.

A top Chicago doctor said last week that Omicron variants “speeded up” the coronavirus-related timeline, including when people began to see symptoms and during recovery periods.

“We’ve seen these new variants develop-Delta, now Omicron-what we’re seeing is that everything is speeded up in terms of COVID,” Arwady said. rice field. “The time it takes for someone to get infected after being exposed to COVID is shorter. The time it takes for symptoms to develop and the time they can be infected is shorter. For many people. It also takes less time to recover, much of it because more people are vaccinated. “

This is what we have ever known.

How long will the test be positive after being infected with COVID?

According to the CDC, the incubation period for COVID is 2 to 14 days, but the latest guidance from the authorities suggests a 5-day quarantine for those who are not boosted but are eligible or vaccinated. .. For those who wish to be tested after exposure, the CDC recommends that they be tested 5 days after exposure or if they begin experience.

Those who have been boosted and vaccinated, or who have been fully vaccinated and are not yet eligible for booster shots, do not need to be quarantined, but unless symptoms are present, wear a mask for 10 days and 5 after exposure. You also need to take the test for the day.

When is the best time to take a test after exposure?

The CDC states that people who may be infected with COVID should be tested 5 days after exposure or as soon as symptoms occur.

“In the event of symptoms, individuals should be quarantined immediately until a negative test confirms that the symptoms are not due to COVID-19,” Guidance said.

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of public health in Illinois, said the incubation period could change, but early testers should continue testing even with negative results.

“We may have learned that the incubation period may be a bit short, so maybe you’ll test in two days,” Ezike said. “Obviously, if you have symptoms, test immediately. But if you want to test in 2 days, that negative test … shouldn’t make you think in 2 days.,’You know Do you want to test again, and of course not negligible symptoms-itch in the throat, headaches, all kinds of symptoms-new things can be symptoms of this new illness. ”

How soon do the symptoms of COVID appear?

According to previous CDC guidance, symptoms of COVID can appear 2 to 14 days after someone is exposed to the virus.

Anyone with symptoms should be tested for COVID-19.

The virus can be spread, but some people have no symptoms. A person is also considered contagious before symptoms appear.

When are people with COVID most contagious?

According to the CDC, guidelines have been updated to reflect increasing evidence suggesting that COVID-19 infections often occur 1-2 days before the onset of symptoms and 2-3 days thereafter. it was done.

“This has to do with data from the CDC that actually showed that there was virtually no risk of infection at this point after 7 days,” Arwady said. “And during that 5-7 day period, there are some, depending on whether people were vaccinated, the underlying illness, etc., but the risk is significantly reduced, and for the general public, the risk of masking etc. is very high. It’s low. “

For asymptomatic individuals, the CDC guidance states that they are considered contagious at least 2 days before their positive test.

How long do you need to quarantine or quarantine?

First of all, anyone who believes they have come into contact with someone who is infected with COVID and has not been vaccinated should be quarantined. Anyone who tests positive, regardless of vaccination status, should be quarantined. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The differences between the two are:

quarantine

Quarantine for 5 days if unvaccinated, or if more than 6 months away from the second vaccination, within 6 feet of a person with COVID for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more in 24 hours is needed. To the updated CDC guidance published on Monday.

At the end of that period, they will need to participate in the use of strict masks for an additional 5 days.

Earlier, the CDC stated that people who were not fully vaccinated and had close contact with the infected would need to stay home for at least 10 days.

Prior to Monday, fully vaccinated people (CDC defined as two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine) may be exempt from quarantine.

Fully vaccinated and boosted individuals do not need to be quarantined if they are in close contact with COVID, but they should wear a mask for at least 10 days after exposure. The same is true for those who are fully vaccinated and are not yet eligible for booster shots.

However, local health authorities can make the final decision on the duration of the quarantine, but testing may play a role.

The Illinois Department of Health has announced that it will adopt the CDC revised guidelines for COVID quarantine and quarantine.

In Chicago, people who enter or leave a particular region of the country and are not vaccinated must be quarantined when they arrive in the city, but whether they will be tested for COVID during the period when they need to be quarantined. Depends on.

isolation

According to the CDC, people who are positive for COVID will need to stay at home for 5 days, changing the guidance from the previously recommended 10 days.

At the end of the period, if you are asymptomatic, you can return to normal activity, but you should wear a mask everywhere (at home or around others) for at least another 5 days.

If symptoms persist after 5 days of quarantine, stay home until you feel better, then always wear a mask and start 5 days.

So how do you calculate the quarantine period?

According to the CDC, “Day 0 is the first day of symptoms.” In other words, the first day is the first full day after the onset of symptoms.

For those who test positive for COVID but have no symptoms, day 0 is the day of the positive test. People who develop symptoms after a positive test will have to start over from the beginning, but from day 0 to the first day of symptoms.

When should I call the doctor?

The CDC encourages people who have or may have COVID-19 to monitor emergency warning signs and seek medical care immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms:

• Dyspnea
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New mess
• Difficult to get up or difficult to get up
• Light, gray, or blue skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on the color of the skin

“This list is not all possible symptoms,” said the CDC. “Contact your healthcare provider for severe or other symptoms that are relevant to you.”

You can also notify the operator that you or someone you care for believes that you are infected with COVID.

What if my home test is positive?

Those who test positive using a home test are required to follow the latest CDC guidelines and communicate the results to the health care provider responsible for reporting the test results to the state health department.

According to the Chicago Regional Health Department, people assume that the test results are accurate and need to be isolated from others to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

“If you test positive for COVID-19, you need to quarantine,” Arwady said. “You don’t have to repeat a positive home test in the medical setting. You don’t want anyone to go to the emergency department just to get the test. Treat the positive as positive and stay at home for 5 days.”

When can I be around other people after being infected with COVID?

If there are symptoms, the CDC says they can be around others after being quarantined for 5 days to stop the onset of symptoms. However, to minimize the risk to others, you should continue to wear the mask for 5 days after the symptoms end.

The CDC also recommends avoiding immunocompromised people and avoiding high-risk settings until at least 10 days later.