IF YOU
Were exposed to COVID-19 and are NOT up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations

• Quarantine for at least 5 days.
• Stay Home and quarantine for at least 5 days.
• Wear a mask if you must be around others in your home.
• Get Tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. After quarantine

Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

If you develop symptoms
Isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a mask around others.
Take precautions until day 10

Wear a mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask.

Avoid travel and being around people who are at high risk
IF YOU
Were exposed to COVID-19 and are up-to-date with vaccination OR had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days
No quarantine You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms.
Get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19

Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

If you develop symptoms:
Isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a mask around others.
Take precautions until day 10

Wear a mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public.

Avoid travel and being around people who are at high risk

IF YOU
Tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms, regardless of vaccination status
Stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home.
Wear a mask if you must be around others in your home.

Ending isolation
If you had symptoms End isolation after 5 days if you are fever-free for 24 hours and your symptoms are improving.
If you did NOT have symptoms End isolation after 5 days after your positive test.
If you were severely ill with COVID-19
You should isolate for at least 10 days. Consult with your doctor before ending isolation.
Take precautions until day 10
Wear a mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public.
Avoid travel and being around people who are at high risk.

The following isolation and quarantine interim guidance for schools and child care programs   was developed by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). For issues not addressed below, CDC recommendations should be followed. 

Persons Who Have Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 (Isolation)

All persons who test positive for COVID-19 or have suspected COVID-19, regardless of

vaccination status, should complete isolation as follows:

• Stay home for at least 5 full days from the date of symptom onset if symptomatic or the date of the positive test if no symptoms
  •  Day 1 is considered the first full day after symptoms started in symptomatic persons or the first full day after the person tested positive if asymptomatic.
• After Day 5, if the person has no symptoms or if symptoms are improved and they have had no fever for at least 24 hours without medication, they may return to school or child care IF they wear a well-fitting mask when around others* for an additional 5 days.
• If the person is unable to wear a mask around others, they should remain at home for a full 10 days.

Persons Who Are Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)

1. The following recommendations apply to:

• Adults 18 years and older who have been boosted OR completed the primary series of Pfizer within the last 5 months or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months AND they have no symptoms;
• Children 5-17 years old who have completed the Pfizer vaccine series as recommended AND they have no symptoms; and
• Persons who had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days (i.e. tested positive using a viral test).  These persons do not need to quarantine after exposure but should:

• Wear a well-fitting mask around others* for 10 days after the last close contact 

with the person with COVID-19 (Day 1 is considered the first full day after the date of last close contact)

• Get tested at least 5 days after the last close contact (persons who had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days do not need to test).
  • If the person tests positive or develops symptoms they should stay home and follow recommendations for isolation above.
  • If the person tests negative or is unable to get a test, they should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others* for 10 days after the last close contact.

2. The following recommendations apply to:

• Persons of all ages who are unvaccinated; and
• Adults 18 years and older who have completed the primary series of Pfizer vaccine over 5 months ago or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted OR completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted.

These persons should quarantine after exposure as follows:

• Stay home for at least 5 days after the last close contact with the person with COVID-19 (Day 1 is considered the first full day after the date of last close contact)
• If no symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after the last close contact.
  • If the person tests negative, they may return to school or child care IF they wear a well-fitting mask when around others* until 10 days after their last close contact;
  • ○ If the person tests positive, they should follow the recommendations for isolation above;
  • If the person is unable to get a test, they may return to school or child care after Day 5 IF they wear a well-fitting mask when around others* until 10 days after their last close contact.
• If the person develops symptoms they should get tested immediately and remain at home; if the test is positive, they should follow the recommendations for isolation above.
• If the person is unable to mask around others, they should remain at home for 10 days from the date of last close contact.

NOTE: For people who are returning either from isolation (after a positive COVID-19 test) or quarantine (after exposure), the recommendation is that masks may be removed only when eating and during nap time. Unmasked time should be minimized and physical distancing and ventilation maximized during these times. People should not be participating in any other activities unmasked.