Close Contact or Exposure to COVID-19
If you spend time close to someone who has COVID-19, you could get it too. It’s important to take steps to protect yourself & others after exposure, like wearing a mask and getting tested. If you have close contact with someone who has COVID-19, follow the steps below and get more information at Close Contact or Exposure to COVID-19.
Wear a high quality and well-fitting mask for 10 full days when you are indoors and around others, even at home. The 10 days start the day after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19. The day of your last close contact is counted as day zero. The day you can stop wearing a mask is day 11.
Watch for symptoms for 10 full days after your last close contact with someone who has COVID-19. Symptoms can include fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath. For a complete list of symptoms, visit CDC: Symptoms of COVID-19.
Test on day six, if possible. Visit COVID-19 Testing for detailed information about where you can get tested and what kinds of tests are available.
 Things to avoid
- Avoid people who are immunocompromised or at high risk of severe disease and settings where people at higher risk live or gather, such as long-term care facilities. If this is not possible, take extra precautions to protect yourself and others. For information on people at higher risk, refer to CDC: People with Certain Medical Conditions.
- Avoid travel. If you must travel, wear a high-quality and well-fitting mask.
- Avoid places where you need to remove your mask (e.g., gyms, restaurants).
If you get symptoms, stay home and away from others (isolate) as soon as you notice them and test right away for COVID-19. This includes people who are vaccinated or who had COVID-19 in the past. For more information, refer to If You Are Sick or Test Positive: COVID-19.
COVID-19 Medications
People who test positive for COVID-19 and are at higher risk of becoming very sick may benefit from available COVID-19 medications. There are two ways to get COVID-19 medications if you are at higher risk of becoming very sick from COVID-19.
- Talk to a health care provider to learn if you qualify for COVID-19 medication and where to get it.
- Find Test to Treat locations that offer COVID-19 testing and free medication at one location.
COVID-19 medications must be started within five to seven days of symptoms starting to work best. Learn more:
Some people have conditions or are on medications that weaken their immune system and may not respond to a COVID-19 vaccine. Evusheld is a monoclonal antibody therapy that can help to protect them from COVID-19. Evusheld is not for the treatment of symptoms due to COVID-19 and is not given following an exposure to someone with COVID-19; it is given to prevent infection before an exposure. Talk to your health care provider and learn more about Evusheld at COVID-19 Medications: Evusheld (tixagevimab/cilgavimab).
COVID-19 medications are not a substitute for COVID-19 vaccination. It is still recommended that everyone who is eligible get vaccinated and take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Updated Guidance and Resources
CDC has recently updated their Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel. MDH is working to review the CDC guidance and update our documents as appropriate.
NOTE: Look for an "Updated" date below guidance links on our website to know when the resource was last revised.
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