After having COVID-19

From 14th October 2022, it is no longer mandatory to self-isolate at home if you test positive to COVID-19. However, if you have symptoms or have tested positive to COVID-19, we would still recommend that you:

stay home to isolate until you no longer have acute respiratory symptoms, and you have gone at least 24 hours without a fever, without using fever-reducing painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
avoid entering hospitals, residential aged care facilities and disability accommodation services for at least 7 days and only when you no longer have any symptoms
consider wearing a face mask in an indoor setting and if you are unable to physically distance outside for at least 7 days after testing positive to COVID-19.

If you choose to self-isolate, you do not need a negative test to end isolation. People who get COVID-19 can continue to test positive for some time after they have recovered, even though they no longer have COVID-19 and are no longer infectious.

Returning to work or school

Queensland Health strongly recommends that you should stay home to isolate while you have any symptoms of an acute respiratory infection. You should not return to work or school until:

your acute respiratory symptoms have substantially reduced and
you have gone for at least 24 hours without a fever without using fever-reducing medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, some employers or education settings may impose restrictions or conditions on people who have recently tested positive to COVID-19 or had any symptoms of an acute respiratory infection.

Before returning to school or work, you may be required to notify your employer or education provider that you have been diagnosed with, or had symptoms of, COVID-19 and you should follow any additional requirements put in place by your employer or education provider to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

In addition, if returning to work or school within 7 days after receiving a positive COVID-19 test result, you should:

wear a face mask covering your nose and mouth whenever you are in an indoor setting outside the home – masks are recommended for children over the age of 12, and for any children under the age of 12 where it is safe for them to do so
avoid contact with people who are a higher risk of severe disease
wash your hands regularly
practice good respiratory hygiene (such as covering your cough)
advise others you have been are in contact with to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and get tested if they become symptomatic.

In the 35 days after ending isolation

If you have previously recovered from COVID-19 and at least 35 days have passed since receiving a positive COVID-19 test result it is possible for you to be reinfected. If you come into contact with a COVID-19 case you should follow Queensland Health’s guidelines for close contacts.

If you have any symptoms of an acute respiratory infection and at least 35 days have passed since receiving a positive COVID-19 test result you should get tested for COVID-19.

Get your next vaccination and look after your health

Even if you’ve had COVID-19, you should get vaccinated. You are far less likely to get really sick if you get COVID-19 again. After you have recovered, you should wait three months to have your first, second or booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

If you have missed some medical or health appointments while you were in isolation, now is a good time to call your GP and arrange an appointment to have a check-up or get back on track with caring for your health.

Cleaning and personal hygiene

You need to practice frequent hand hygiene and personal hygiene to reduce the likelihood of contamination with the virus from your home environment.

It is important when you leave your house that you perform hand hygiene using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser straight after you leave the premises.

Minimising the virus on surfaces in your home is important to reduce the potential risk of carrying the virus on goods you take from the household. We believe the risk is very low with good cleaning.

Regular household cleaning should be undertaken preferably by someone who does not have active infection.
It is best if mobile phones, bags, and other items being taken to work or school are cleaned prior to leaving the house. This is particularly important if they are sneezed on or coughed on or if you have small children with infection who have been handling these items.
See our cleaning information for products that are effective against COVID-19.

You must wear a facemask in the community as per any Chief Health Officer’s directions in force at the time (same as all community members).

Recovery from COVID-19

Everyone with COVID-19 infection will experience it a little differently. Some people will have an asymptomatic or very mild illness, while others may experience more symptoms. In the same way, recovery time following COVID-19 infection can vary.

Most people who get COVID-19 recover within two weeks from the start of infection.

If you have ongoing concerns please see your GP.

Even if you are vaccinated you can catch COVID-19 so it is important with any symptoms that you get tested.

The natural immunity after COVID infection is believed to last only 3-6 months. However as the protection offered is different in different people you should get tested if you develop symptoms.

In the 35 days after ending isolation

If you have previously recovered from COVID-19 and at least 35 days have passed since receiving a positive COVID-19 test result it is possible for you to be reinfected. If you come into contact with a COVID-19 case you should follow Queensland Health’s guidelines for close contacts.

If you have any symptoms of an acute respiratory infection and at least 35 days have passed since receiving a positive COVID-19 test result you should get tested for COVID-19.

If you are immunocompromised and get COVID-19 symptoms in the 28 days after ending isolation, seek medical advice, as COVID-19 reinfection may be more likely for you.

Can my child attend school?

You should not return to work or school until:

your acute respiratory symptoms have substantially reduced and
you have gone for at least 24 hours without a fever without using fever-reducing medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, some employers or education settings may impose restrictions or conditions on people who have recently tested positive to COVID-19 or had any symptoms of an acute respiratory infection.

Before returning to school or work, you may be required to notify your employer or education provider that you have been diagnosed with, or had symptoms of, COVID-19 and you should follow any additional requirements put in place by your employer or education provider to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

In addition, if returning to work or school within 7 days after receiving a positive COVID-19 test result, you should:

wear a face mask covering your nose and mouth whenever you are in an indoor setting outside the home – masks are recommended for children over the age of 12, and for any children under the age of 12 where it is safe for them to do so
avoid contact with people who are a higher risk of severe disease
wash your hands regularly
practice good respiratory hygiene (such as covering your cough)
advise others you have been are in contact with to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and get tested if they become symptomatic.

Vaccination after COVID-19

Even if you’ve had COVID-19, you should get vaccinated. You are far less likely to get really sick if you get COVID-19 again. After you have recovered, you should wait three months to have your first, second or booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Unvaccinated people who are eligible for vaccination should get vaccinated before this natural immunity wanes to ensure ongoing protection from COVID-19. Interestingly the immunity derived from vaccination gives higher antibody levels and seems to last for longer.

If you have questions or concerns about vaccination, talk to your GP or usual healthcare provider. For the latest vaccination advice please see the Queensland Health Vaccination web page.

Do I still need to get tested?

You are unlikely to get COVID-19 again in the 35 days after having COVID-19.

During this time, if you get symptoms, you do not need to get tested but you should stay at home until you feel better. This is important to help you to recover and prevent the spread of any other viruses in the community. You do not need testing unless advised to do so by your medical practitioner.

If you are immunocompromised and get COVID-19 symptoms in the 35 days after having COVID-19, seek medical advice, as COVID-19 reinfection may be more likely for you.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms again more than 35 days after your recover, you should stay home and get tested.

From 14th October 2022, it is no longer mandatory to self-isolate at home if you test positive to COVID-19. However, if you have symptoms or have tested positive to COVID-19, we would still recommend that you:

stay home to isolate until you no longer have acute respiratory symptoms, and you have gone at least 24 hours without a fever, without using fever-reducing painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
avoid entering hospitals, residential aged care facilities and disability accommodation services for at least 7 days and only when you no longer have any symptoms
consider wearing a face mask in an indoor setting and if you are unable to physically distance outside for at least 7 days after testing positive to COVID-19.

If you have a negative result, it is recommended you stay home until you no longer have symptoms.

After having COVID-19

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