COVID Positive: Do you know when to self-isolate?

COVID infections increase with holidays, festivals, gatherings with family and friends. Many Quebecers are affected by the virus, you may be one of them. Know when and how long to isolate yourself? 

Public health isolation guidelines have changed during the pandemic, here's what you need to know to isolate yourself from the best way during the 7th wave:

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You have a fever

You must self-isolate if you have a fever, regardless of the cause of your increased body temperature, for up to 24 hours after your fever ends . 

If you have other symptoms of COVID-19 and have had the virus in the past two months, you do not need to self-isolate again. 

However , until your symptoms disappear, it is strongly advised to wear a mask during all your social interactions and to avoid coming into contact with vulnerable people.

Five days of isolation

Five-day isolation is required if you have COVID. The confinement period must begin as soon as symptoms of the disease appear. If you do not have symptoms of the virus, you should count five days in self-isolation from the time your test indicates you are positive. 

After these five days, if your symptoms improve and you have not had a fever for 24 hours without taking fever medication, you can resume your essential activities, including work, by following certain instructions.

Important if you are unvaccinated, you must also test for COVID and test negative before resuming your activities after your five days of isolation. If the result is positive, you must continue to isolate yourself, public health reminds. 

Following your 5-day isolation

During the five days following your isolation, you must wear a mask during all your social interactions. This instruction does not apply to children 5 years and under. 

You should also avoid contact with vulnerable and immunosuppressed people, avoid taking part in non-essential social events and respect the distance of 2 meters as much as possible.

After 10 days

After ten days, you can resume your normal activities while respecting the gestures to limit the spread of the virus.

If you are immunosuppressed, you must isolate yourself for at least ten days. After these ten days, if your symptoms improve and you have not had a fever for 24 hours without fever medication, you can resume your activities.

These isolation instructions apply also to people who have COVID symptoms and who have not taken a screening test.

Public health reminds us that it is essential to follow the isolation instructions, because you can stay contagious for ten days.

Source: Government of Quebec