According to the CDC’s webpage regarding When You Can Be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19, the best way to protect yourself and others is to stay home for 14 days if you think you’ve been exposed to someone who has COVID-19. Check your local health department’s website for information about options in your area to possibly shorten this quarantine period.

Someone who has been fully vaccinated and shows no symptoms of COVID-19 does NOT need to stay home. Also, anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 and who meets the following criteria does NOT need to stay home.

• Someone who has COVID-19 illness within the previous 3 months; AND,
• Has recovered; AND,
• Remains without COVID-19 symptoms (for example, cough, shortness of breath)

People who were severely ill or immunocompromised:

People who are severely ill with COVID-19 might need to stay home longer than 10 days and up to 20 days after symptoms first appeared. Persons who are severely immunocompromised may require testing to determine when they can be around others. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information. If testing is available in your community, it may be recommended by your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will let you know if you can resume being around other people based on the results of your testing.

Your doctor may work with an infectious disease expert or your local health department to determine whether testing will be necessary before you can be around others.

New Mexico Department of Health’s guidance regarding quarantine & isolation periods

For persons with confirmed COVID-19 who had symptoms

• Maintain isolation at home until all 3 of the following are met:
  • At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared; AND,
  • At least 1 day (24 hours) has passed with no fever without the use of fever reducing medication; AND,
  • Symptoms have improved

Additional isolation instructions from NMDOH if you were notified you are positive for COVID-19

For persons with confirmed COVID-19 who did not have any symptoms

• Maintain isolation at home until:
  • At least 10 days since the positive test

This post is an excerpt from the CDC’s newsletter “Families with Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Members” sent out on July 19, 2021.