As a rule of thumb, you should get tested yourself if you’ve had close contact with a person for 15 minutes or longer within a 24-hour period.
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So many people are unclear as to what they should do if they’ve come in contact with a person who has been tested and is positive for COVID-19. The answer isn’t always cut and dry as there are several variables that come into play. If you have been informed that a person you’ve had contact with just came back with a positive test, here is some of what you might need to know.
Varying Levels of Contact
According to the most current guidelines from Public Health, there are varying levels of contact. As a rule of thumb, you should get tested yourself if you’ve had close contact with a person for 15 minutes or longer within a 24-hour period. Now then, what exactly is close contact? That is defined as being within 6 feet of a COVID-19 positive person for that timeframe mentioned above. If you’ve simply come into the room and passed by a person who later tested positive, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have been exposed. It may depend on the viral load that person is carrying along with the variant causing their illness. We now know that the Delta variant is highly contagious, so that could be a factor. However, if you are concerned that you may be infected, you should get tested as soon as possible.
State by State Guidance
Although the advice given by the CDC is followed by all states, each state sets its own guidelines on what to do if exposed to the coronavirus. So then, if you live in Minnesota, you might want to seek coronavirus treatment in MN. This is where you will set up an initial appointment for assessment with a provider online. They will then set up an appointment for you to get tested, after which you will know if you are carrying the virus. One thing you should know is that you may not become sick with the virus for a period up to 14 days. In other words, if you test negative a few days after being in contact with that covid positive person, then wait 4 or 5 days to get retested.
Guidance for Vaccinated Persons
Whether you have been fully vaccinated or not, you should still get tested. You are considered to be protected about 14 days from shot #2 in the two-shot series or the same length of time after the single shot vaccine. Even so, there are cases of fully vaccinated people experiencing breakthrough infections and so the safest thing to do is quarantine after exposure to be assured you are not carrying a live virus.
Referring again to the State of Minnesota health guidance, there are so many factors involved that you might feel more comfortable talking with a coronavirus treatment center. With all the misinformation circulating the web and major news outlets, you will definitely want to seek guidance from medical professionals. What better guidance can you receive than from a treatment center specifically set up to deal with COVID-19? That’s where you should start.
