Using At-Home Antigen Coronavirus Testing Kits In Sacramento County

Press release from the Sacramento County Government:

January 21, 2022

With the recent announcement from both the federal government and many local county public health agencies that free, at-home antigen COVID-19 test kits are available to every household, it is important that all community members not only understand how to use the test kits, but understand what to do after receiving results to keep your family, friends and community safe. Easy-to-understand self-swabbing videos can be accessed on our Sacramento County Public Health COVID-19 website in nine languages.

What to do with your test results. IF YOU TEST NEGATIVE:

• If you do not have symptoms and have not been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you do not need to do anything further.

OR

• If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and you are not up-to-date with vaccination **
• Follow quarantine guidance
• Stay home for at least 5 days, after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
• Repeat Test on day 5.
• Quarantine can end after day 5 if you have no symptoms and a repeat test is negative.
• If no repeat test is done, quarantine can end after day 10 if you have no symptoms.
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings (see Section below on masking for additional information).

OR

• If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and you are up-to-date with vaccination **
• You do not need to quarantine.
• Repeat Test on day 5.
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings (see Section below on masking for additional information).

OR

• If you have symptoms, stay home for at least 5 days, or symptoms resolve
• Schedule a Laboratory COVID-19 test to confirm if you are infected or not.

IF YOU TEST POSITIVE:

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection or lack of symptoms Follow isolation guidance

• Stay home for at least 5 days.
• Repeat test* after day 5.
• End isolation If repeat test is negative and symptoms are resolving (or have no symptoms)
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings

OR

• End isolation after day 10 if you did not repeat test.
• If fever is present, isolation should be continued until fever resolves.
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings (see Section below on masking for additional information)

*Antigen test preferred. **

Check CDC guidance for eligibility for vaccination and booster doses

Self-isolation Guidance from the California Department of Public Health
Self-quarantine Guidance from California Department of Public Health

Vaccination is the most important tool to end the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines are recommended even if you already had COVID-19. Any Californian aged 5 and up can get vaccinated for free.

When can I get my vaccine after having COVID-19? You can get your vaccine after your isolation has ended and symptoms have resolved. When can I get my booster after having COVID-19? You can get your booster after your isolation has ended and symptoms have resolved AND the recommended time has elapsed since your primary vaccine series of either Pfizer (5 months), Moderna (5 months) or J&J (2 months).

Important websites for additional information:

Sacramento County Public Health
California Department of Public Health
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Sacramento COVID-19 Collaborative (Sac Collab)
iHealth Self-Test Kit

This press release was produced by the Sacramento County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.