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Redirected: What to do when exposed to COVID-19
Get tested 3 to 5 days after your close contact and wear a mask when around others for 10 days.
What to know
What a close contact is
A close contact, or exposure, means you’ve been indoors with someone who has COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more, even if everyone was masked. You may have the virus.
Lower the risk of spread
The virus is more likely to spread in the first 10 days after exposure. Wearing a mask will lower the risk of you spreading the virus, in case you have it.
What to do
When you’ve had close contact or live with someone who has COVID-19, you can choose to stay home and away from others if you can, especially those at high risk of getting sick from COVID-19. But you are not required to.
Get tested
Get tested 3 to 5 days after you were first exposed. You can take either an antigen or a PCR test after a close contact. If you test positive, you should stay away from others for 5 days.
You should consider testing earlier than 3 to 5 days to find out if you’re positive so you can:
- Get access to early treatment, especially if you’re at risk of severe COVID-19 illness
- Let people know earlier that they might have been exposed
Wear a mask
You should wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days after you had the close contact. Masking is especially important when:
- Indoors, including around others at home
- Around people who have a high risk of severe COVID-19 disease
The virus is more likely to spread in the first 10 days. Wearing a mask around others for 10 days will lower the risk of you spreading the virus, in case you have it.
If you test positive or feel sick
If you test positive, you should stay away from others to stop the spread of the virus.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, it is strongly recommended that you stay away from others until you get tested.
The risks of getting and spreading COVID-19
You are at risk of having the virus if:
- You were indoors with someone who has COVID-19
- The time indoors was 15 minutes or longer
You are at risk even if you and others were wearing masks during the time of contact.
Someone can have COVID-19 for 2 days before they start feeling sick or have a positive test. During this time, they can infect others.
They are at risk of spreading COVID-19 for up to 10 days from when they started feeling sick or tested positive, unless they test negative days 5 to 9.
Supporting information
Special cases
COVID-19 at schools, childcare, and youth programs
If someone at school, childcare, or a youth program has COVID-19 or there's a chance of exposure, follow our guidance for staff and families.
Individual schools may choose to have additional rules or policies that families should also follow.
People who live or work in high-risk settings
Healthcare workers and people who live and work in some high-risk settings (long-term care facilities, shelters, jails) may have different rules for people after close contact.
Get help
Partner agencies
What to know
What a close contact is
A close contact, or exposure, means you’ve been indoors with someone who has COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more, even if everyone was masked. You may have the virus.
Lower the risk of spread
The virus is more likely to spread in the first 10 days after exposure. Wearing a mask will lower the risk of you spreading the virus, in case you have it.
What to do
When you’ve had close contact or live with someone who has COVID-19, you can choose to stay home and away from others if you can, especially those at high risk of getting sick from COVID-19. But you are not required to.
Get tested
Get tested 3 to 5 days after you were first exposed. You can take either an antigen or a PCR test after a close contact. If you test positive, you should stay away from others for 5 days.
You should consider testing earlier than 3 to 5 days to find out if you’re positive so you can:
- Get access to early treatment, especially if you’re at risk of severe COVID-19 illness
- Let people know earlier that they might have been exposed
Wear a mask
You should wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days after you had the close contact. Masking is especially important when:
- Indoors, including around others at home
- Around people who have a high risk of severe COVID-19 disease
The virus is more likely to spread in the first 10 days. Wearing a mask around others for 10 days will lower the risk of you spreading the virus, in case you have it.
If you test positive or feel sick
If you test positive, you should stay away from others to stop the spread of the virus.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, it is strongly recommended that you stay away from others until you get tested.
The risks of getting and spreading COVID-19
You are at risk of having the virus if:
- You were indoors with someone who has COVID-19
- The time indoors was 15 minutes or longer
You are at risk even if you and others were wearing masks during the time of contact.
Someone can have COVID-19 for 2 days before they start feeling sick or have a positive test. During this time, they can infect others.
They are at risk of spreading COVID-19 for up to 10 days from when they started feeling sick or tested positive, unless they test negative days 5 to 9.
Supporting information
Special cases
COVID-19 at schools, childcare, and youth programs
If someone at school, childcare, or a youth program has COVID-19 or there's a chance of exposure, follow our guidance for staff and families.
Individual schools may choose to have additional rules or policies that families should also follow.
People who live or work in high-risk settings
Healthcare workers and people who live and work in some high-risk settings (long-term care facilities, shelters, jails) may have different rules for people after close contact.