Symptoms

I had contact with someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19. What should I do?

If you have had close contact with someone while they were symptomatic, you should monitor yourself for symptoms, stay home to the extent possible and contact your health care provider if you need medical advice or start suffering from severe illness. If you do not have health insurance, call your nearest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). 

Review the CDC’s actions to take based on your level of exposure.

Can COVID-19 be spread before someone has symptoms?

We know that people are most contagious when they have symptoms. Whether the virus can be spread before someone has symptoms is currently being evaluated. More on how COVID-19 spreads is available from the CDC.

What's the difference between self-monitor, quarantine and isolation?

These are protective measures used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among people who may have been exposed.

• Self-monitoring is for those that may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19. They should monitor themselves for symptoms (fever, cough and shortness of breath). People should monitor themselves for fever by taking their temperatures twice a day and remain alert for cough or difficulty breathing. If they develop symptoms during the self-monitoring period, they should self-isolate, limit contact with others, and seek medical advice by telephone.
• Quarantine is for people who were exposed to a person with a confirmed case of COVID-19 but are not experiencing symptoms. Contact your local health department or medical provider if you are unsure if you should self-quarantine.
• Isolation separates people who are sick from those who are well. People who have tested positive for COVID-19 in North Carolina are in isolation.

Learn about the difference between quarantine and isolation from the CDC.

How can I limit exposure to COVID-19?

Household members and people who have been in close contact with someone who has had symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home as much as possible for 14 days and monitor themselves for symptoms. Close contact means within six feet for at least 10 minutes. If they start having symptoms of COVID-19, they should take the same steps to prevent spreading it.

Coronaviruses like COVID-19 are most often spread through the air by coughing or sneezing, through close personal contact (including touching and shaking hands) or through touching your nose, mouth or eyes before washing your hands. NCDHHS recommends that persons experiencing fever and cough should stay at home and not go out until their symptoms have completely resolved.

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has actions you can take to prevent others from getting sick. This includes: 

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick and put distance between yourself and other people.
• Use a cloth face covering when you may not be able to keep 6 feet between yourself and other people.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds at a time.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched.

When can I end self-isolation?

People who are sick with COVID-19 or believe they might have it should stay home and separate themselves from other people in their home as much as possible. They can end self-isolation and return to their normal activities when they can answer YES to ALL of the following questions: 

• Have you had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers)? AND
• Have your other symptoms improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved)? AND
• Has it been at least 10 days since your symptoms first appeared?

How is it decided when a person with COVID-19 can self-isolate at home or must be confined somewhere?