Positively confusing!
I just got my third vaccine dose, but I tested positive for COVID19…..Now what?
QUICK ANSWER:
➡️ Tell your healthcare provider you have had a positive test result right away.
➡️ Isolate for 10 days after symptoms appeared or after your positive test if you never had symptoms.
➡️ Make sure you don’t go around other people for 10 days AND you are fever free for 24 hours AND most other symptoms have resolved (with the exception of losing your sense of smell and/or taste).
LONG ANSWER:
👩🏾⚕️ Tell your health care provider immediately if you test positive. This is especially important if you take a rapid antigen test at home.* If you are negative on a rapid test but still have symptoms, you should retest and/or your provider will likely recommend a PCR test to confirm the presence or absence of SARS CoV-2.
🧪 You are considered to be “contagious” two days before you have COVID-19 symptoms or two days before you have a positive test if you don’t have symptoms. Day 0 is either the first day of symptoms or the day you tested positive.
⌛ When you first tested positive is important to remember because you may have exposed others to the virus. Anyone exposed to you should quarantine for 14 days if not vaccinated and test 3-5 days after exposure if vaccinated. Most people who are vaccinated do not need to quarantine after exposure.**
🤒 If you are isolating, you should try to sleep, eat, and use the bathroom in a separate place from other family members or roommates.
📲 You should call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, difficulty staying awake, or blue/pale tinged lips or fingers OR any symptoms that are new or concerning to you.
🦠 You should stay away from people for 10 days. Some people who are immunocompromised may have to isolate for up to 20 days and should talk to their healthcare provider before leaving isolation.***
🏘️ You can leave your isolation once you meet all of these criteria: 1) It has been 10 days since your positive test or since symptoms appeared AND 2) You have been fever free for 24 hours and have not had to use Tylenol or anything else to make your fever go down AND 3) Your other COVID-19 symptoms are better like body aches and fatigue. You may still have symptoms of loss of taste and/or smell. These guidelines may vary for people with medical issues and/or who are immunocompromised so they should talk to their provider.
A REMINDER:
Getting the vaccine will not make you have a positive test. If you test positive after getting a vaccine on a rapid antigen test or a PCR test it is probably because you were exposed before you got the vaccine.
Stay safe and well!
With Love,
Those Nerdy Girls
*If you take a test elsewhere (like at a pharmacy or testing site), it will likely be reported, but it is important to communicate with your health care provider. They can tell you what to do and report your positive result (or negative result!) to the local public health department. Every location is just a little bit different in terms of return to school, work, and procedures after travel. That is why this step matters. It also helps us get better data about who is testing positive or not.
**Here we say “most people” because this does not include people who have other health conditions. People should consult with their clinician if they do.
***The definition of immunocompromised is a broad term to describe the state of having a weakened immune system (“immunosuppression”), either as a result of a disease process or due to medications that cause this. There is primary immunosuppression (genetic conditions) or secondary due to illness such as cancer. Medications for immunosuppression may be used for people with organ transplant, leading to immunosuppression. The CDC defines people who are moderate or severely immunocompromised here.
Additional links:
Nice local explainer on CDC Guidelines
Dr. Dena’s excellent post on what to do after a parent tests positive
Dr. Ashley’s post on what to do after exposure
