To avoid transmitting COVID-19 to others, stay at home if you have COVID-19 or if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19.
If You Test Positive for COVID-19
It is important that you protect yourself and others from infection, especially those persons at high risk. Based upon the risk to others, the Mississippi State Department of Health recommends the following:
Isolate
- Immediately self-isolate at home.
- Do not go to work or leave your home for at least 5 days. If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
- Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days after you end your home isolation.
- If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.
Notify Your Employer
- Please let your employer know that you have tested positive for COVID-19, and will not be able to return to work until your isolation period ends.
While You Are at Home
- Stay away from all persons at your home. Do not leave your house, or come in contact with anyone, including the people you live with.
- If you do have household contacts, you must limit exposure to them. Stay in a specific room away from others in your home. You should use a separate bathroom if available. If you need to be around others in your home, you should wear a facemask. This is very important to minimize the risk of spreading the disease to your family and friends. Additional information for what to do when you are sick can be found in the CDC's guidance if you are sick or caring for someone.
- Please make sure that the people in your house or other close contacts read our guidance for individuals with COVID-19 exposure.
More about isolation from the CDC
If You Have Been Exposed to Someone Who Has COVID-19
Any exposed individual who develops symptoms should get tested and immediately isolate at home, regardless of vaccination status.
If you think you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, please follow the protective guidance from the CDC: Wear a mask around others, get tested at least 5 days after your exposure, and watch for symptoms.
Additional considerations:
- If you live in a household with a person who is a confirmed case of COVID-19, your last exposure is when is when you last had contact less than 6 feet from them for 15 minutes or more.
- During the 5-day quarantine at home you may be allowed to continue to work if your employer says you are essential, and you continue to have no symptoms, have your symptoms and temperature monitoring by your facility, and wear a mask while you are at work and around others. Contact your employer for approval.
- If you do return to work, you should continue to self-quarantine at home at all other times.