COVID-19

• If you have been in contact with someone with COVID-19, you must quarantine for 10 full days from your last contact with the infected person*. You can end your quarantine after Day 10 if you never had any symptoms and you take the following precautions:
• From Day 11 through Day 14:
  • Be extra careful. Wear a face covering when around other people (including those in your household), stay at least 6 feet away from others, wash your hands often, and take other steps to protect others (and yourself).
  • Keep checking for COVID-19 symptoms every day. If you do get symptoms, isolate at home and follow the "If you develop symptoms" instructions below.

It is best to keep away from people at high risk for getting very sick from COVID-19 for the full 14 days.

*If you don’t know when you were exposed to the infected person and you received a Public Health Emergency Quarantine Order, you can end your quarantine 10 days after the date the order was issued (as long as you don’t have symptoms).

If you have a test for COVID-19, and it is negative, you must still quarantine for at least 10 days.

• If you have no more contact with the infectious person

Your last day of quarantine is 10 days from the date after you last had close contact. For example:

• If you continue to have contact with the infected person

For example, you live with and/or care for the person with COVID-19:

• If you can avoid close contact, your last day of quarantine is after 10 days from when the person with COVID-19 started to follow the Home Isolation Instructions.
• But, if you have close contact with them again while they are still in isolation, your 10-day quarantine period will have to restart from the last day that you had close contact.
• If you cannot avoid close contact, your last day of quarantine is 10 days from the date that the person with COVID-19 was told their isolation ends.

To prevent you from spreading COVID-19, you must restrict activities and limit actions that may put you in contact with others.

• Stay home. Do not go to work, school, or public areas. You may only leave your place of quarantine to get needed medical care.
• Do not allow visitors.
• Separate yourself from others in your home (unless they are also in quarantine).
• If you need to be in the same room as other people, set it up so that you can stay 6 feet apart if possible. It is important to stay away from people who are at higher risk of serious illness. This includes people who are age 65 years or older or have a health problem such as a chronic disease or a weak immune system.
• Use a separate bathroom, if available.
• Stay at least 6 feet away from others. When this cannot be done, wear a face covering (see Guidance for Cloth Face Coverings for more information).
• Do not make or serve food to others.

• If you do not have someone to help you, you can arrange for food and other supplies to be left at your door. If you need help finding food or other supplies, call 2-1-1, or visit 211la.org, or the Public Health resource webpage.

• Disability Insurance, Unemployment & Paid Family Leave may be available for people who cannot work because they, or a family member, need to isolate or quarantine. Visit the California Employment Development Department website for information.
• When your quarantine period is over, you may return to work or school. You do not need a letter from Public Health and should not need a negative test.

• Wear a surgical mask. If you don’t have one, wear a cloth face covering (see Guidance for Cloth Face Coverings for more information).
  • Note: Children under the age of 2 should not wear cloth face coverings. Children between the ages of 2 and 8 should use them but must be supervised by an adult to make sure they that the child can breathe safely and avoid choking or suffocation. A mask or cloth face covering should not be placed on anyone who has trouble breathing or would need help remove it. See Guidance for Cloth Facing Coverings for more information.
• Use a private car if possible. If you cannot drive yourself, be sure to keep as much distance as possible between you and the driver. Wear a cloth face covering, if possible and leave the windows down. You should not use public transportation.

• It is important to monitor your health for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days from your last contact with the infected person. Symptoms of COVID-19 may include any of the following: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, feeling tired, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, congestion or runny nose, or new loss of taste or smell.
• Call 911 or go to an emergency room if you are having serious symptoms. Serious symptoms include difficulty breathing, pain or pressure in your chest, have bluish lips or face or being confused or having difficulty waking up.

• Isolate yourself at home (this means if you left quarantine and it is Day 11-14 you need to return home immediately and strictly stay away from others except for medical care).
• Contact your healthcare provider, clinician advice line, or telemedicine provider for a medical assessment and arrange a test for COVID-19. Tell them that you have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19. Call the Los Angeles County Information line at 2-1-1 if you do not have a doctor. This number is available 24/7.
• If you test positive for COVID-19 or your provider thinks you have COVID-19, you must follow the Los Angeles County “ Public Health Emergency Isolation Order” for COVID-19 and the “Home Isolation Instructions for People with COVID-19 Infection,” which are available in English, Spanish, and other languages.
• If you test negative for COVID-19 and/or your provider thinks that you do not have COVID-19, you must complete your quarantine period and stay home until at least 24 hours have passed since you have been fever-free without using fever reducing medications.
• If you don’t get tested you should isolate for at least 10 days from when your symptoms first started and at least 24 hours have passed since You have been fever-free without using fever reducing medications.

COVID-19 and quarantine may be stressful for people. Visit the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s COVID-19 webpage and the 211LA webpage (211la.org/resources/subcategory/mental-health) for local resources to help with mental health & wellbeing concerns. Guidance and resources, including information on crisis hotlines, are also available on the CDC webpage Coping with stress.

LA County residents have free access to Headspace Plus. This is a collection of mindfulness and meditation resources in English and Spanish. It also has movement and sleep exercises to help manage stress, fear, and anxiety related to COVID-19.

If you need to speak with someone about your mental health, contact your doctor or the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Access Center 24/7 Helpline at (800) 854-7771. This number is available 24/7. You can also text “LA” to 74174.