What to Do if You Are a Close Contact

What is close contact?

Close contact means being within 6 feet, for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, of someone with COVID-19 while they are contagious. You can be contagious two days before your symptoms began and until you are recovered. For people who haven't had symptoms, you may be contagious two days before you have a positive test.

Examples of close contact

Examples of close contacts	Examples of not close contacts
You live in the same home.	You were their cashier at the grocery store.
You are intimate partners.	You were their server at a restaurant.
You rode in the same car.	You were in front of the person in line at the store.
You had dinner together.	You’re a coworker who briefly walked by to ask a question.

Close contact does not mean being more than 6 feet away in the same indoor environment for a short period of time, walking by, or briefly being in the same room.

If you are a close contact or think you had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, follow the guidance below. This guidance does not apply to health care workers.

If you:	Public health recommendation:
Are up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines	If you develop symptoms at any time, get tested.

If you:	Public health recommendation:
Are NOT up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines or are not vaccinated	No earlier than day 4, take two antigen tests 24 hours apart (or longer) OR On or after day 5 take a PCR or LAMP test If you develop symptoms at any time, get tested.

Up to Date means you:

Had your booster shot OR
Completed your Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series within the last 5 months OR
Completed your Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last 2 months

Find a free COVID-19 test

additional precautions

If you are a close contact, you might choose to take extra precautions such as wearing a mask, which helps protect you and the people around you from getting or spreading COVID-19.

If someone you live with tests positive and you are not vaccinated or up to date on your vaccines, you may choose to get tested after their positive test and again every 2 to 3 days during their isolation.

Learn more about protecting yourself and others.

If you start to feel sick or you develop symptoms

If you have mild illness, treat your symptoms at home by getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking fever-reducing medication if needed.
If you test positive for COVID-19, begin isolation immediately. Find out what to do if you test positive for COVID-19.
Get medical care immediately if you have trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, or changes in color on your lips, gums, face, around the eyes, or nails. Tell your health care provider or 9-1-1 that you are a close contact of someone with COVID-19.