Close Contacts: What to know and do
So, you are a close contact – you have been notified through the CA-Notify App, told by a friend, called by a contact tracer, or learned from others that you had an exposure to COVID-19. What to do?
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First, if you have symptoms, STAY HOME and self-isolate, and get tested now and again 3-5 days from your exposure.
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You should get tested as soon as possible: you can self-schedule a symptomatic test on eTang
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Stay home until you have tested negative with TWO home antigen tests (separated by 24 hours) OR a single PCR test, unless an alternate diagnosis is found
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You do not need to test if you had COVID within the past 90 days, unless you develop symptoms.
Potential Exposure: What to know and do
A “potential exposure to COVID-19” is different from being identified as a close contact with a COVID-19 positive case. You are likely to be at LOWER risk than an identified contact, and no more than, for example, visiting a supermarket, however this alert should prompt you to take the following actions:
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Monitor for symptoms and if you develop symptoms, as always self-schedule a symptomatic test on eTang(link is external) and self-isolate pending results.
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Schedule a surveillance test on campus, preferably at 3-5 days from the potential exposure
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You do not have to do a COVID test, unless you develop symptoms.
Please note: an exposure notification through the CalNotify App is equivalent to a close contact notice, not to a “potential exposure.” If you receive one of these, follow the instructions for “ Contact Tracing: What to know and do” below.
Isolation is used to separate people infected with the virus (both those who are sick with COVID-19 and those without symptoms) from people who are not infected. Isolation for COVID-19 generally lasts for no more than 10 days, requiring in addition that you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours and have improvement in any symptoms. Exceptions may apply when someone is seriously ill or has serious underlying medical conditions.