If You Are a Close Contact
Page last updated/reviewed 03/09/2023.
What is a close contact?
A “close contact” is anyone who was exposed to a person infected with COVID-19 while they were infectious. You are considered to be infectious starting 48 hours (2 days) before your symptoms began (for individuals who do not have symptoms, this is 48 hours/2 days before your test was taken) until your isolation period ends.
If you have, or are likely to have, COVID-19, take steps to protect yourself and others. If you have any emergency warning signs, seek emergency care immediately.
- Take precautions for 10 full days, as you can still develop
COVID-19 up to 10 days after you have been exposed.
- Wear a high-quality mask or respirator when around other people.
- Take extra precautions if you will be around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19.
- Watch for symptoms.
- If you develop symptoms, isolate immediately, get tested, and stay home until you know the result.
- Get tested at least 5 full days after your last exposure, even
if you don’t develop symptoms.
- If your test result is positive, follow isolation recommendations.
- If your test result is negative, continue taking precautions through day 10.
- If you already had COVID-19 within the past 90 days, see specific testing recommendations.
See below, or click the following links, for more information:
Guidance for Close Contacts
Regardless of your COVID-19 vaccine status, if you do not have COVID-19 symptoms (asymptomatic), you do not need to quarantine. However, there are recommended actions:
- Take a COVID-19 test (either PCR or antigen) 3-5 days after the last exposure.
- Wear a well-fitted face covering for a total of 10 days after exposure, especially in indoor settings and when near those at higher risk for severe COVID-19.
- Monitor your health for COVID-19 symptoms through day 10.
Note: People documented with COVID-19 infection within the previous 90 days do not need to be tested, quarantined, or excluded from work unless symptoms develop.
Vaccines offer the most protection against COVID-19. You are strongly
encouraged to get the vaccine or booster(s). If you develop symptoms,
wait to get a vaccine or booster(s) until your symptoms resolve. Learn
more about getting a COVID-19 vaccine and find a COVID-19 vaccination site near you.
Additional Guidance
- All close contacts, whether quarantined or not, should consider testing as soon as possible. If the test is positive or they develop COVID-19 symptoms, they should follow all isolation recommendations and visit the What to Do If You Have COVID-19 webpage for more information.
- DO NOT go to the emergency department just to seek COVID-19 testing.
- If you are a healthcare worker, first responder, or other critical infrastructure worker, please refer to:
- For K-12 schools and child care programs, please see the Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2022-23 School Year and the Guidance for Child Care Providers and Programs .
High-Risk Settings: Places where there is a higher risk for spreading COVID-19 (e.g., a setting with many people who may not receive full protection from vaccination), and the people who are served are at risk for more serious COVID-19. In such cases, exposed persons should take extra care to follow recommended actions to decrease risk.
The following work exclusions are recommended for staff working in
these settings to protect the populations served. Additionally,
quarantine guidelines continue for patients, residents, and clients
served in these settings:
- Emergency shelters and cooling and heating centers
- Healthcare settings
- Prisons, jails, and detention centers
- Homeless shelters
- Long-term care settings and adult and senior care facilities
Table 1: Close Contacts—Specified High-Risk Settings
| Persons Who are Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Work Exclusion/Quarantine) | Recommended Actions |
|---|---|
|
Recommendations for staff:
Recommendations for residents:
|
Recommendations for BOTH staff and residents:
- Follow the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance for masking or face coverings. Close contacts should mask for 10 days following an exposure to someone with COVID-19, especially high-risk contacts.
- Strongly encouraged to get vaccinated or boosted.
- If symptoms develop, stay home and test as soon as possible, AND
- If your test result is positive, follow isolation recommendations and visit our What To Do If You Have COVID-19 webpage.
NOTE: It is recommended that while not excluded from work, vaccinated and boosted healthcare personnel working in high-risk settings test immediately upon notification of exposure and at 3-5 days.
Calculate your health monitoring period, work exclusion or quarantine.
For the general public follow the 10-day health monitoring calendar if you:
- Are vaccinated, unvaccinated, or not fully vaccinated, AND
- DO NOT have COVID-19 symptoms, OR
- Tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days.
If you work or live in a high-risk setting, follow the 5-10 day work exclusion or quarantine calendar if you:
- Are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, OR
- DO NOT have COVID-19 symptoms, AND
- Have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days.
NOTE: If you live or work in a high-risk setting, are fully vaccinated or up-to-date with your vaccinations, OR you tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days AND DO NOT have symptoms, follow the 10-day health monitoring calendar and CDPH masking guidance.
Get customized information and guidance with CDC's COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Calculator.
- Get customized information and guidance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Isolation and Exposure Calculator.
- San Diego County provides FREE COVID-19 testing. Find testing locations near you. If you have further questions, contact your medical provider or 2-1-1 San Diego.
- Test to Treat sites
offer no cost, confidential testing and treatment. Please
call (888) 634-1123 to schedule an appointment at an
OptumServe site for testing and treatment with Paxlovid, if
eligible.
- You may also call SesameCare at (888) 897-1244 to schedule a no-cost telehealth visit, which includes a prescription for treatment with Paxlovid for those who are eligible.
- Many resources are
available through 2-1-1 San Diego for people who have been
affected by COVID-19, including the County Emergency Rental and
Utilities Assistance Program as well as other resources. Call 2-1-1
or visit the 2-1-1
San Diego website for more information.
Resources from the federal government, like free masks, treatment options, vaccines, at-home testing kits, and guidance are available to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19. Visit COVID.gov or call 1-800-232-0233 for more information.
COVID-19 Website