Coronavirus Positive Via At-Home Test Guidance For The General Public In Town Of Shrewsbury

Press release from the Town of Shrewsbury:

January 15, 2022

Positive case: ISOLATE

Please stay home and if possible, isolate yourself from others in your household, even if everyone is vaccinated. You must isolate for at least 5 days, with the day you first experienced symptoms or your test date if you didn’t have any symptoms, as day 0. On day 6 you can leave isolation (as long as your symptoms have improved, and you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication). You must adhere to strict mask use and wear a full fitted face mask for an additional 5 days. A KN95 mask is recommended.

Please notify your close contacts that they have been exposed. Close contacts are those within 6 feet of you for 15 minutes or more cumulatively in a 24-hour period, while indoors starting two days before your symptoms started or two dates before your test date if you didn’t have symptoms.

Close Contacts: QUARANTINE

Unvaccinated

Must quarantine for at least 5 days and continue to wear a mask for an additional 5 days. Test after 5 days.

Partially Vaccinated (did not complete series or not yet boostered)

If you have not completed the Booster series stay home for 5 days and wear mask for an additional 5 days. Test after 5 days if possible.

Fully vaccinated and boostered or completed the series within 6 months (J&J 2 months)

Wear a mask around others for 10 days. Test on day 5 if possible.

Best Practice

For all those exposed, best practice would also include a test 5 days after exposure. If symptoms occur individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test.

Helpful link: mass.gov/isolate

TOP 5 ACTION TO TAKE

• Isolation is 5 days from onset of symptoms or positive test date, whichever comes first.
• ALERT/inform close contacts, including employers, starting 2 days before symptom onset or positive test date, whichever came first
• On day 6 you can leave isolation as long as you are back to 95% of normal health, especially NO respiratory symptoms. Wear a full fitted mask for next 5 days.
• Do not participate in activities which require you to remove your mask until you have completed the 10 days and are primarily symptom free
• If you are symptomatic and tested positive on at home test, you do NOT need to do a follow up PCR

Example:

Day 0: Symptom onset-->Monday, January 10 woke up with cough and headache.
Day 5: Last day of isolation.
Day 6: Exit Sunday, January 16 if feeling 95% better, no respiratory symptoms. Must wear a mask for 5 more days around others. Including household members.

NOTE

If your child is positive, please follow the Shrewsbury Public School Protocol while child is attending school and continue to follow general guidance while outside of the school environment.

This press release was produced by the Town of Shrewsbury. The views expressed here are the author’s own.