
Protect Your Health
What to do if you were exposed to COVID-19
Was I exposed?
What do I do if I've been exposed?
How you can be exposed to COVID-19
How COVID-19 spreads
COVID-19 spreads by breathing in air that has small droplets and particles that contain the virus. It can also be spread by these droplets and particles landing in someone’s eyes, nose, or mouth. Sometimes the infected person may contaminate surfaces they touch, but this is uncommon.
Exposure risks
Certain factors can increase or decrease your risk of being exposed to COVID-19. These include:
- Length of time can increase risk: How long were you around the infected person?
- Coughing or heavy breathing can increase risk: Was the infected person coughing, singing, shouting, or breathing heavily?
- Symptoms can increase risk: Did the infected person have symptoms at the time?
- Masks can decrease risk: Were you or the infected person wearing a respirator (for example, N95) or high-quality mask?
- Ventilation and filtration can decrease risk: How well-ventilated was the space?
- Distance can decrease risk: How close was the infected person to you?
What to do if you were exposed to someone with COVID-19*
- Wearing a mask for 10 days after exposure may reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 to others.
- Day 0 is the day of your last exposure to someone with COVID-19.
- Day 1 is the first full day after your last exposure.
- If you choose to, get tested on Day 6.
- If you already had COVID-19 within the past 90 days, see specific testing recommendations.
- Visit VDH’s COVID-19 testing webpage or CDC’s No Cost COVID-19 Testing Locator for more information.
- Continue wearing a mask around others inside your home or indoors in public through day 10.
- Check for symptoms of COVID-19 [Español].
If you develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, immediately isolate (stay home). Learn about what to do on VDH’s If you are sick webpage.
If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk with your healthcare provider right away to see if you can get treatment. Visit VDH’s COVID-19 Treatment webpage for more information.
*This guidance does not apply to healthcare or high-risk congregate settings. Please refer to the following sites for more information:
Learn more
For more information:
- VDH’s COVID-19 Vaccine website
- Find a free COVID-19 vaccine at vaccinate.virginia.gov [Español] or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682)
- Create a COVID-19 Plan (CDC)
- CDC What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19
- CDC How to Protect Yourself and Others
- CDC local COVID-19 hospital admission levels
- Make My Test Count: Report COVID-19 home test results safely and privately
- CDC Travel Recommendations
- Learn tips for Taking Care of Sick People with COVID-19 Illness at Home (PDF) (1 pp, 798KB)
- Read VDH Notify Your Contacts (PDF) (2 pp, 2MB)
- Call VDH’s COVID-19 hotline at 877-ASK-VDH3 (877-275-8343)
Page Last Reviewed June 2, 2023
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