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POLK COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFERS INFO FOR THOSE THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, OR COME IN CLOSE CONTACT

Waiting for COVID-19 test results or have tested positive? 

If you have tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting test results or have received a positive (detected) COVID-19 test, it’s important to take steps to stop the spread to family members and friends. 

Isolate (separate) yourself from others. Stay home. Do not go to work, school, or any other place outside the home. As much as possible, separate yourself from those in your household. Stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom, if available.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol when not able to wash your hands. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid sharing personal household items such as food, dishes, drinking glasses, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with others in your home. After using these items, wash them thoroughly with soap and water.
  • Separate from others; if you need to be around other people in your household or use common areas wear a mask. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
  • Clean and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces in your home daily including doorknobs, light switches, and faucets.
  • Seek medical care if you experience worsening or severe symptoms. Call your healthcare provider before going.

If you received a positive test results: Remain in Isolation until all three of these things are true:

  • At least 10 days since your symptoms first started; and
  • Fever-free for 24 hours, without using fever reducing medicine; and
  • Symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.

Notify your close contacts and instruct them to quarantine if you received a positive test result. A close contact is someone that has been within 6 feet of a person with COVID-19 for a total of 15 cumulative minutes per 24 hours during their infectious period. The infectious period starts 2 days before symptoms begin or the testing date if you did not have symptoms and will last until the person has met the criteria above. Close contacts need to stay home and monitor their health for 14 days after the last day of exposure.  Close contacts are encouraged to get tested a week after last exposure. Regardless of a negative test, close contacts still need to quarantine for 14 days.

Together We Can slow the spread of COVID-19. Contact your local public health agency if you have COVID questions or if you need help obtaining essential services such as grocery or medication delivery.

Visit the Polk County Coronavirus Response Hub (https://coronavirus-response-pcg.hub.arcgis.com/), the Minnesota Department of Health (https://www.health.state.mn.us/) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/) websites for more COVID-19 information. Follow Polk County Public Health and Norman-Mahnomen Public Health on social media for local updates.

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