A close contact is a person who was within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes of someone who is infected. This includes anyone who lives in the same household.
If you had close contact with a person with COVID-19 (an exposure), you need to stay home and away from others (quarantine). COVID-19 can take up to 14 days to make you sick, and some people with COVID-19 never feel sick, so you need to separate yourself from others so you don't spread the virus without knowing it.
Guidance for vaccinated individuals:
If someone has completed COVID-19 vaccination (two doses in a two-dose series or one dose in a one-dose series) and is exposed, they do not need to quarantine if ALL of the following are true:
- The COVID-19 exposure was at least 14 days after their vaccination series was fully completed.
- The COVID-19 exposure was within 90 days of their final dose of the vaccination series.
- They do not currently have any symptoms of COVID-19.
Even after a person has recovered from COVID-19 or is fully vaccinated they should still continue to stay distanced, wear a mask that fits well, wash their hands often, and follow other precautions. For more information, see CDC: When to Quarantine.
You should stay away from others for 14 days if:
- Someone in your home has COVID-19.
- You live in a building with other people, where it's hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility.
You may consider being around others after 10 days if:
- You do not have any symptoms.
- You have not had a positive test for COVID-19.
- No one in your home has COVID-19, and you do not live in a building with other people, where it's hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility.
Even after 10 days you must still:
- Watch for symptoms through day 14. If you have any symptoms, stay home, separate yourself from others, and get tested right away.
- Continue to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet away from other people.
You may consider being around others after 7 days only if:
- You get tested for COVID-19 at least five full days after you had close contact with someone with COVID-19, and the test is negative.
- You do not have any symptoms.
- You have not had a positive test for COVID-19.
- No one in your home has COVID-19, and you do not live in a building with other people, where it's hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility.
Even after seven days you must still:
- Watch for symptoms through day 14. If you have any symptoms, stay home, separate yourself from others, and get tested right away.
- Continue to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet away from other people.
You cannot end your quarantine before seven days for any reason.
Visit MDE website for more information