Medical Self-isolation Recommendations

We recommend you isolate for 7 days after your positive COVID-19 diagnosis. 

• The 7-day isolation recommendation is for people who test positive, regardless of their vaccination status.
• The recommended medical isolation period can end 7 days after a positive test or onset of symptoms if symptoms have cleared up.
• We recommended you tell your contacts that you have tested positive so that they can take precautions and get tested.
• Who are your contacts? Learn how to identify your contacts.
• If you have any chronic diseases, are pregnant, are older than 60, or are unvaccinated, antiviral treatment may be an option for you. Call your CMC.

If you live in a home that is isolating in a bubble with someone who is positive, we recommend you isolate for 7 days from when the first person in the house got sick, if:

1. You are asymptomatic.
2. You continue to test negative during the isolation period.

• We recommend you do rapid tests at home or at a community testing site, if possible, on the 3^rd and 7^th day after your first exposure.
• If you test negative several times while living with someone who has COVID-19, you can end your isolation after 7 days...  Even if other people in your home test positive.
• If one of your tests is positive while you're isolating in a bubble, your situation has changed. Please refer to recommendations under heading “If you have COVID-19”.
• If you develop symptoms during your 7 days of bubble isolation, you can assume you are positive. Please refer to recommendations under heading “If you have COVID-19”.

If you are live in a home isolating in a bubble with someone positive, we recommend that you isolate yourself for 10 days from when the first person in the house got sick, if:

1. You are asymptomatic.
2. You continue to test negative during the isolation period.

• We recommend you do rapid tests at home or at a community testing site, if possible, on the 3^rd and 7^th day after your first exposure.
• We ask that immunosuppressed people isolate a few days longer because their immune suppression means they have a higher risk of getting infected and spreading infection to other people around them. 
• If you are immunosuppressed, and live in a home bubble with someone who has COVID-19, you can end your isolation after 10 days Even if other people in your home test positive after the first person in your house caught COVID19.
• If you develop symptoms during your 10 days of isolation, assume you are positive. If one of your tests during this time is positive, your situation has changed. Please refer to recommendations under heading “If you are immunosuppressed and have COVID-19”.

If you test positive during bubble isolation, call your CMC to see whether antiviral medications can help you. When you have immune suppression, you have more risk for severe illness from COVID-19. 

We recommend that you isolate for 7 days from the last point of exposure.

Take a test on day 3 and day 7. If the tests are negative and you do not have symptoms, you can safely end your isolation on day 7.

If you develop symptoms during the 7 days, please assume you are positive and test yourself immediately. Sometimes, especially with rapid home tests, you must do repeated tests for a couple of days before the test shows positive. Learn more about rapid tests. 

If you test positive, your situation is different. Please refer to recommendations under heading “If you have COVID-19”.  

We recommend that you isolate for 10 days from the last point of exposure.

• Immunosuppressed people are asked to isolate a few more days because their immune suppression makes them more likely to get infected and spread it to other people for a longer time.
• Take a test on day 3, day 7, and day 10 during the recommended isolation period. If your tests are negative and you don't have symptoms, you can stop isolating after day 10. 
• If you develop symptoms during this 10-day period, you can assume you're positive.
• Sometimes when you use rapid home tests you have to test for a few days before the test shows positive. Learn more about rapid tests.
• If you do test positive, your situation has changed. Please refer to recommendations under heading “If you are immunosuppressed and have COVID-19”
• Find out whether antiviral treatment is an option for you. Call your CMC. 

We recommended 3 options for medical isolation when there's a COVID-19 infection:

1. Isolate in a household bubble with people who live with you. 

• Everyone in your home isolates together, and they follow the recommended guidelines. 

2. Isolate in a separate room in your home.  

• If you have a separate room (bedroom, or basement) that is available to use for COVID-19 isolation needs. 

3. Isolate alone in another dwelling - if there is a cabin, isolation housing unit or transit lodging available in your community.

What is a household bubble? 

If you don't have space in your home for someone in your family who has COVID-19 and has to isolate... and you are in a bubble isolation situation.... here are guidelines to help you.

If there is a COVID-19 positive case in your home, we recommend the following precautions. 

• If you are isolating in a separate room with a door, in your home, try to keep your distance from other people in your household through your isolation period. This is to reduce chances that they get COVID-19 while they are with you. 
• Wear a mask indoors if you need to be in the same room as other people in your household.
• For example: If someone needs to come into your room to bring you something. 
• If you start to feel more sick during isolation, and someone needs to drive you to the clinic to be seen by a nurse or doctor, they should also wear a mask. 
• A medical mask is better than a cloth mask, if you have them.
• Throw disposable masks into a closed garbage bag after using them, then wash your hands. 

Stay home during your isolation period

• If you can isolate in a separate dwelling or unit, or in a separate room available in your home, remain alone in that space for the recommended isolation period.  
  • You can put up a DO NOT invite visitors on your front door.   
  • If you are isolating in a separate dwelling, don’t have people over for visits.

If you are isolating in a separate room in your home that has a door, stay in the room. Limit time spent with household members who are not isolating. Eat your meals separately, and sleep alone. 

• If possible, use a bathroom not used by anyone else, or if you are sharing a bathroom, wear a mask when you do so and clean the main surfaces (light switch, sink) after each use.  
• Close the toilet lid before flushing. Wash your hands after using the washroom. 
• Air out your room often by opening a window (even if just a crack for better air), weather permitting. 
• Avoid contact with pets in the home. 
• If you need fresh air you can go outside, but stay in a private area (i.e. backyard or balcony) and wear a mask. 
• If possible, ask someone in your family to bring meals to you at your room door 
• If this isn’t possible, arrange with them for you to use the kitchen at a time when they can be in a separate room or outside. Clean the surfaces you touch and wash your dishes right away if you do this. 

During recommended isolation period

• Don’t go to work, school, into stores, share rides or enter other public places. 
• You may talk to visitors outside your home in your yard, provided you wear a mask and maintain at least a 2-metre/6-foot distance. 

Medical masks provide better protection than cloth masks. If you have medical masks, use them, and change them frequently.  

• If you are isolating in a separate room with a door, in your home, try to keep your distance from other people in your household through your isolation period. This is to reduce chances that they get COVID-19 while they are with you. 
• Wear a mask indoors if you need to be in the same room as other people in your household.
• For example: If someone needs to come into your room to bring you something. 

If you start to feel more sick during isolation, and someone needs to drive you to the clinic to be seen by a nurse or doctor, they should also wear a mask. 

A medical mask is better than a cloth mask, if you have access to them.

Throw disposable masks into a closed garbage bag after using them, then wash your hands.  

• When isolating, wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
• Dry with a paper towel or with a cloth hand towel used only by you. 
• If soap and warm water are unavailable, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 70% alcohol. 
• Take special care to wash your hands before touching any common areas (for example in a shared bathroom). 
• Wash your hands before and after touching your pet. 

• Use a paper tissue to cough, sneeze and wipe your nose. 
• Throw away the tissue into a garbage can then wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds.