How to self-quarantine

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    Limiting close contact with others

    Limiting close contact with others in your household during your infectious period can help prevent then getting infected.

    There is no right or wrong way to approach this and will depend on the age of your household members and what is acceptable to your family. There are ways in which, if you choose, you can reduce the transmission of infection.

    Prevention of aerosol transmission

    • Limiting contact in shared areas- keeping 1.5 metres away from them and avoiding close contact, including touching, kissing, hugging and other intimate contact.
    • Sleep in a separate room where possible.
    • Separate bathrooms if possible.
    • Facemasks reduce aerosol transmission and should be changed after 4 hours of use.
    • Improving ventilation of the space by opening windows/doors.

    Prevention of environmental transmission

    • Hand hygiene
    • Cleaning of surfaces
    • Careful disposal of tissues
    • Separate hand and other towels
    • Preparation of your own food

    How long will I be required to isolate for?

    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.

    Close contacts

    You are a close contact if:

    • you live with a person that has COVID-19 or
    • you have been with a person that has COVID-19 for more than four hours in a house or other accommodation.

    You are a close contact from the date the person diagnosed with COVID-19 took the test that returned a positive result.

    As a close contact, you should be aware that you are at increased risk of COVID-19 and need to take steps to protect yourself and people around you.

    If you are a close contact, for at least 5 days from when the diagnosed person received a positive COVID-19 test, Queensland Health strongly recommends you:

    • wear a face mask in an indoor setting and if you are unable to physically distance outside
    • work or study from home, where feasible and with the agreement of your workplace
    • avoid entering hospitals, residential aged care facilities and disability accommodation services
    • avoid contact with people at risk of severe disease from COVID-19.

    You should also monitor yourself for any acute respiratory symptoms for at least a week from the date of the positive COVID-19 test.

    If you develop symptoms, stay at home, and test for COVID-19 as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms. If your COVID-19 test is positive, follow the rules for a diagnosed person.