What to Do if You Get a Positive Result

"The highly contagious Omicron variant of Covid-19 is gaining traction in the U.S. and more people are testing positive for the virus, including people who have been vaccinated or boosted.

Here's what doctors and public health officials say you should do after a positive test.

What do I do if I test positive for Covid-19?

When you get a positive test result, you should quarantine immediately. It doesn't matter whether you got a rapid test or a PCR test.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines are the same whether you are unvaccinated, vaccinated or boosted: Isolate for 10 days.

The 10-day countdown typically starts on the first full day after your symptoms appeared, regardless of when you got the test result. If you got a positive result without experiencing Covid symptoms, the clock starts the day after you took the test. If symptoms develop after you test positive, reset the clock: Day One is the first day after symptoms develop.

How do I isolate?

Remain at home in a private room and bathroom, if possible. Avoid or limit interaction with other members of your household. If you must be in the same room with others, everyone should wear a high-quality mask. Keep the room well ventilated.

If I get a negative test result during a 10-day quarantine period, can I stop isolating?

No. False positive PCR tests are rare. And a rapid test isn't as sensitive as a PCR test, so you can't interpret a negative rapid-test result as a sign that you're no longer infectious.

"A rapid test will become negative well before a PCR will become negative, so could you still be shedding? We don't know," says David Wohl, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Do I just stop isolating after 10 days, or do I need a negative test result?

You don't need a negative test result to come out of isolation after 10 days, doctors say. You should be sure that your symptoms are improving and that 24 hours have passed since any fever or use of fever-reducing medications, the CDC says.

Many patients still experience fatigue and other symptoms for more than 10 days, but as long as symptoms are improving, it's all right to stop isolating after the 10-day period, says Kristin Englund, an infectious disease physician at Cleveland Clinic.

If you are severely ill, talk to your doctor about isolating longer. People who are immunocompromised may need to isolate for up to 20 days and get retested, the CDC says.

Whom do I need to inform after a positive test?

At the very least, you should tell your "close contacts," which the CDC defines as anyone you've been within 6 feet of for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.

Some doctors recommend casting a broader net. If you've been symptomatic for a few days and then test positive, tell people you've been in contact with since you started experiencing symptoms, Dr. Englund says.

Dr. Wohl believes the 6-foot and 15-minute guidance is outdated, since the Delta and Omicron variants are more contagious. "I would be concerned if it was 6.5 minutes of contact," he says. "I would let anyone that you were around indoors without a mask -- especially if you were within 6 feet -- know."" [1]

1. U.S. News: What to Do if You Get a Positive Result
Reddy, Sumathi. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 20 Dec 2021: A.6.