Confused about the new quarantine and isolation guidelines?

Confused about the new quarantine and isolation guidelines? Learn how long you need to stay home after testing positive or being exposed to COVID-19.


A 10-day isolation is still the very safest length of time to stay home after you test positive. However, new data from the CDC shows that a shorter isolation and quarantine may now be used.


Isolate if you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19

Stay home if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive, even if you are vaccinated or had COVID before.

If you have symptoms, stay home until:

  • You’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without using medicine to lower your fever,
  • Your symptoms have improved for 24 hours,
  • It has been at least 5 days from the day you were tested.

You may need to stay at home longer than 5 days if your symptoms have not gotten better.

If you never had symptoms and test positive, stay home until it has been at least 5 days since the day you were tested.

In either case, wear a mask around others and in public for another 5 days after you end your isolation at home.

More info about isolation:
https://coronavirus.utah.gov/protect-yourself/#isolate-if-test-positive


Quarantine if you’re exposed to COVID-19

You don’t need to quarantine at home if:

  • You’re up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccinations. This means you’ve had a booster dose, or had a 2nd dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 5 months, or had the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last 2 months.
    • Children ages 5-17 don’t need a booster dose to be considered up-to-date right now.
    • If you are immunocompromised, you are up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccinations if you also had your additional primary dose. 
  • You tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days (about 3 months) and don’t have any symptoms. 

Quarantine at home for at least 5 days if:

  • You’re unvaccinated–you haven’t had any doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. 
  • You are not up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccinations. 
    • Booster doses are not included in the quarantine guidelines for children 17 and younger right now.  
  • It’s been more than 90 days (about 3 months) since you tested positive for COVID-19 and you are not up-to-date with your vaccinations. 

You can end your quarantine at home after 5 full days if you don’t have any symptoms.

In either case:

  • Watch for symptoms of COVID-19. If you get sick, assume you have COVID-19 and follow the isolation guidelines. 
  • Wear a mask around others and in public for a total of 10 days after your last exposure to the sick person.
  • We recommend you get tested 5 days after your last close contact with the person who has COVID.
    • If it’s been less than 90 days (about 3 months) since you first tested positive for COVID-19 and you don’t have any new symptoms, you don’t need to get tested again.

What to do if you quarantine at home: https://coronavirus.utah.gov/protect-yourself/#quarantine-if-exposed