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WEBSITE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Kim Malsam-Rysdon, Secretary of Health

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After Your At-Home COVID-19 Test

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COVID-19 Vaccine Safety FAQs

Tell a healthcare provider about your positive test result and stay in contact with them during your illness. If your illness becomes severe, seek medical attention. To avoid spreading the virus to others, follow CDC recommendations. See CDC’s guidance Isolate If You Are Sick, which has information for a person who tests positive and has symptoms, and for a person who doesn’t have symptoms.

As much as possible, stay in a specific room and away from other people and pets in your home or place of residence. If possible, you should use a separate bathroom. If you need to be around other people or animals in or outside of the home or place of residence, wear a mask. Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils. Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.

Tell your close contacts that they may have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting 48 (or 2 days) before the person has any symptoms or tests positive. By letting your close contacts know they may have been exposed to COVID-19, you are helping to protect everyone.

COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness FAQs

Positive Test Results

  • Isolate at home for a minimum of 10 days after your symptoms started (or if not experiencing symptoms, 10 days after your positive test), until you have been fever-free without use of fever-reducing medications for 24 hours, and experience improvement in symptoms.

  • Please inform close contacts* right away if you are COVID-19 positive. All close contacts, regardless of vaccination status, should watch for symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms appear, they should isolate and contact their provider.

Close Contacts

  • Unvaccinated close contacts without symptoms, should quarantine for 10 days after their last exposure, but should mask and continue to monitor for symptoms through the 14th day. Unvaccinated close contacts may be able to shorten their quarantine by testing negative on or after day 5 from the date of their last exposure, provided they remain without symptoms. If the unvaccinated close contact tests negative on or after day 5, they may resume normal activities on day 8, but should mask and monitor for symptoms through the 14th day.

  • Fully vaccinated** close contacts without symptoms do not need to quarantine, but should get tested 3-5 days after last exposure and wear a mask in indoor public settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.

  • Close contacts who have had a positive antibody test within the 90 days prior to exposure or immediately after and remain without symptoms, do not need to quarantine, but should mask and monitor for symptoms for 14 days.

  • Close contacts who have had COVID-19 illness within the 90 days prior to exposure, have recovered, and remain without symptoms, do not need to quarantine, but should mask and monitor for symptoms for 14 days.

Negative Test Results After Exposure to COVID-19

  • All close contacts should continue to watch for symptoms for 14 days.

  • Fully vaccinated** people who test negative and have been exposed to COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or stay home provided they remain without symptoms.

*Close contact or exposed means being within 6 feet of someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 for 15 cumulative minutes or more within a 24 hour period.

**Fully vaccinated is more than 2 weeks from the last dose of your COVID-19 vaccine series, either 2 weeks after a single dose vaccine or 2 weeks after your second dose in a two-dose vaccine.

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COVID-19 Vaccine 3rd dose/booster shots FAQs


Stay home except to get medical care

  • Stay home. Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care. Do not leave your home, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.

  • Take care of yourself. Get rest and stay hydrated. Take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen, to help you feel better.

  • Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you have trouble breathing, or have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is an emergency.

  • Avoid public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.


Separate yourself from other people

As much as possible, stay in a specific room and away from other people and pets in your home. If possible, you should use a separate bathroom. If you need to be around other people or animals in or outside of the home, wear a mask.

Tell your close contacts that they may have been exposed to COVID-19. An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting 48 hours (or 2 days) before the person has any symptoms or tests positive. By letting your close contacts know they may have been exposed to COVID-19, you are helping to protect everyone.


Monitor your symptoms

  • Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, or other symptoms.

  • Follow care instructions from your healthcare provider.


Call ahead before visiting your doctor

  • Call ahead. Many medical visits for routine care are being postponed or done by phone or telemedicine.

  • If you have a medical appointment that cannot be postponed, call your doctor’s office, and tell them you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the office protect themselves and other patients.


If you are sick, wear a mask over your nose and mouth

  • You should wear a mask over your nose and mouth if you must be around other people or animals, including pets (even at home).

  • You don’t need to wear the mask if you are alone. If you can’t put on a mask (because of trouble breathing, for example), cover your coughs and sneezes in some other way. Try to stay at least 6 feet away from other people. This will help protect the people around you.

  • Masks should not be placed on young children under age 2 years, anyone who has trouble breathing, or anyone who is not able to remove the mask without help.


Cover your coughs and sneezes

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

  • Throw away used tissues in a lined trash can.

  • Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.


Clean your hands often

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.

  • Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.

  • Soap and water are the best option, especially if hands are visibly dirty.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

  • Handwashing Tips


Avoid sharing personal household items

  • Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people in your home.

  • Wash these items thoroughly after using them with soap and water or put in the dishwasher.


Clean all “high-touch” surfaces everyday

  • Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in your “sick room” and bathroom; wear disposable gloves. Let someone else clean and disinfect surfaces in common areas, but you should clean your bedroom and bathroom, if possible.

  • If a caregiver or other person needs to clean and disinfect a sick person’s bedroom or bathroom, they should do so on an as-needed basis. The caregiver/other person should wear a mask and disposable gloves prior to cleaning. They should wait as long as possible after the person who is sick has used the bathroom before coming in to clean and use the bathroom.

  • Clean and disinfect areas that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them.

  • Use household cleaners and disinfectants. Clean the area or item with soap and water or another detergent if it is dirty. Then, use a household disinfectant.


When you can be around others after being sick with COVID-19

Deciding when you can be around others is different for different situations. Find out when you can safely end home isolation.


 
COVID-19 Vaccine General FAQs
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