What is the difference between isolation and quarantine?
Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.
Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.
Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.
View CDPH’s Isolation and Quarantine Recommendations for the General Public below or scroll down to use our Quarantine and Isolation Calculators
ISOLATION CALCULATOR: You have tested positive, choose either option 1 or option 2.
OPTION 1: Test on or after day 5. If negative, you can end your isolation.
An antigen test, nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) or Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) test are acceptable, however, it is recommended that persons use an antigen test for ending isolation. Exposed persons who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 within 90 days prior to their current exposure should also use an antigen test. Use of Over-the-Counter tests are also acceptable to end isolation or quarantine.
Enter the earliest of 1) first positive test or 2) date your symptoms started:
You have tested positive and have symptoms: Isolation Calculator
If it has been 5 days since symptom onset or a positive test, your symptoms are resolving, it has been 24 hours without a fever, and you have re-tested (on day 5) and received a negative result:
Your isolation ENDS on:
.
On this date, you may resume your usual activities but should continue wearing a well-fitting mask (surgical or respirator) around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings.
OPTION 2: If you are unable to test or choosing not to test, and symptoms are not present or are resolving, isolation can end after day 10.
Enter the earliest of 1) first positive test or 2) date your symptoms started:
You have tested positive but have no symptoms: Isolation Calculator
If it has been 10 days since symptom onset or a positive test, your symptoms are resolving, it has been 24 hours without a fever:
Your isolation ENDS on:
12/28/2020.
On this date, you may resume your usual activities but should still take precautions to reduce your risk (i.e. social distancing, frequent handwashing, and wearing a mask when social distancing isn’t possible).
QUARANTINE CALCULATOR: You’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
If you were less than 6 feet away from an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, review the options below to determine your quarantine period:
OPTION 1: Are you boosted or have you completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccination and are not yet booster-eligible?
Note: For those who received two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, you are booster-eligible 5 months after your second dose. For those who received J&J, you are booster-eligible 2 months after your first dose.
If you are up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccinations as outlined above, you do not need to quarantine. Follow the recommendations below:
- Test on day 5.
- Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days, especially in indoor settings (see CDPH’s Get the Most Out of Masking webpage here).
- If testing positive, follow isolation recommendations above.
If symptoms develop, test and stay home.
OPTION 2: Are you unvaccinated or not up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccinations?
Note: If it has been more than 6 months since your second dose of Moderna or Pfizer, or more than 2 months since your first dose of J&J AND you have not been boosted, you are not up-to-date on your COVID-19 vaccinations.
QUARANTINE MAY END AFTER DAY 5 WITH A NEGATIVE TEST:
An antigen test, NAAT or LAMP test are acceptable, however, it is recommended that persons use an antigen test for ending isolation. Exposed persons who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 within 90 days prior to their current exposure should also use an antigen test. Use of Over-the-Counter tests are also acceptable to end isolation or quarantine.
Enter date:
You have been identified as a close contact: Quarantine Calculator
If it has been 5 days since the last contact, symptoms are not present, and you tested (on day 5) received a negative result:
Your quarantine ENDS on:
.
On this date, you may resume your usual activities but should continue wearing a well-fitting mask (surgical or respirator) around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings. If symptoms develop, test and stay home. If testing positive, follow the isolation guidance.
OPTION 3: If you are unable to test or choosing not to test, and symptoms are not present, quarantine can end after day 10.
Enter date:
If it has been 10 days since your last contact, your symptoms are resolving, it has been 24 hours without a fever:
Your isolation ENDS on:
12/28/2020.
On this date, you may resume your usual activities but should still take precautions to reduce your risk (i.e. social distancing, frequent handwashing, and wearing a mask when social distancing isn’t possible).