What to Do if You Have COVID-19

What to Do if You Have COVID-19

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you must separate yourself from others and watch yourself for symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, fatigue, congestion, or loss of taste or smell. This is to protect yourself, your family, and your community.

If you need medical care, follow the instructions at the bottom of this page.

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Separate yourself from others

• Stay home. Do not go to work, school, or any other place outside the home. Stay home until all three of these things are true:
  • You feel better. Your cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms are better. and
  • It has been 10 days since you first felt sick. and
  • You have had no fever for the last 24 hours, without using medicine that lowers fevers.
• Stay away from other people in your home. As much as possible, stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom, if available.
• Wear a facemask if you need to be around other people, and cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash hands thoroughly afterward.
• Avoid sharing personal household items. Do not share food, dishes, drinking glasses, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people in your home. After using these items, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. Clean all frequently touched surfaces in your home daily, including door knobs, light switches, or faucets.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.

MONITOR YOUR SYMPTOMS

Fill in your information to know when you can go back to your normal activities.

If you have symptoms:

My symptoms started on _______ (fill in date). I am starting to feel better and have been fever-free for 24 hours. I still need to stay home and away from others through _______ (10 days after your symptoms started).

If you do not have symptoms:

I tested positive for COVID-19 on _______ (fill in the date), but do not have any symptoms. I still need to stay home through _______(10 days after the day you were tested).

IF YOUR SYMPTOMS GET WORSE, YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY BREATHING, OR YOU NEED MEDICAL CARE:

• Contact your health care provider. Call ahead. Do not use public transportation, ride-sharing (such as Uber or Lyft), or taxis if you need to go to a clinic or hospital.
• If you need emergency medical attention any time during the isolation period, call 911 and let them know that you have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Please carefully review additional information provided to you by the health department and CDC’s webpage on Cleaning and Disinfection for Households (www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html).

Minnesota Department of Health | health.mn.gov | 651-201-5000
625 Robert Street North PO Box 64975, St. Paul, MN 55164-0975

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