When should I start and end quarantine?

If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, you should quarantine for 14 days. This period begins from the last close contact you had with someone who has COVID-19, even if you test negative for COVID-19 or feel healthy. Although 14 days is recommended, the CDC suggests that some individuals may be able to quarantine for a shorter period of time. Individuals without symptoms can end quarantine at day 10 without testing, or at day 7 if they receive a negative test result on day 5 or later. The length of time to quarantine may be decided by your state or local department of health. You should adhere to recommendations set forth by the department of health, as they may differ from the CDC’s guidelines.

If you live in a household where you cannot avoid close contact with the person who has COVID-19, you should quarantine immediately. You will need to continue to quarantine for 14 days after the person meets criteria to end home isolation, as recommended by the CDC, unless otherwise specified. In some situations, this time period may be shorter than 14 days. 

For additional questions about when to start or stop quarantine, be sure to contact your healthcare provider.