COVID-19 Positive

What should I do if I’m diagnosed with COVID-19?

If your test results for COVID-19 are positive, this means that COVID-19 (coronavirus) was found in your test and you have been diagnosed with a COVID-19 infection.

Do not panic. For most people who test positive, COVID-19 produces mild to moderate symptoms, such as sore throat, fever, fatigue, cough and runny nose. Only a small number of patients get a severe illness.

Isolate yourself

If you have not already done so, please isolate yourself at home right away. You must stay in isolation for at least 5 days even if you do not have any symptoms. Day 0 is your first day of symptoms. If you don’t have symptoms, day 0 is the date of your positive test.

Home isolation

You can stop home isolation when all of the following conditions are met:

• It’s been at least 24 hours since you had a fever without taking a fever-reducing medication (such as Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen) and
• It’s been at least 24 hours since you experienced an improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) and
• At least 5 days have passed since your symptoms first started, or since you tested positive, if you are asymptomatic and never develop symptoms.

If you meet the above conditions and end your home isolation, you must continue to wear a mask outside of your home for an additional 5 days.

Contact your medical provider

If you did not receive your diagnosis from a UCLA Health doctor because you went to an outside testing site or took a home test, you should contact your medical provider. Tell your doctor’s office that you have been diagnosed with COVID-19. This will help them ensure you get the best possible care and protect others.You can set up a video visit, during which you can discuss your symptoms and determine the best plan of care.

If your symptoms worsen — particularly if you have difficulty breathing — contact your primary medical provider right away. If you have a medical emergency, call 911 and tell them you have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

What should I do if I’ve been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, but I test negative?

If your test results for COVID-19 are negative, this means that COVID-19 (coronavirus) was not detected in your test specimen. If your sample was collected while you had symptoms, a negative result likely means that the COVID-19 virus is not causing your current illness. However, while in the early stages of infection, it is possible the virus will not be detected.

If you have been in close contact with someone who has either tested positive for COVID-19 or is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and your original COVID-19 test was negative, you do not have to quarantine. However, you still need to monitor for symptoms for 10 days after you last contact with the infected person. Test again 5 days after your exposure. If that test is positive or you develop symptoms, you need to isolate at home.

If you have questions, reach out to your primary doctor.