Guidance for households with possible or confirmed COVID-19 infection
This guidance is for:
- people with symptoms that may be caused by COVID-19, including those who are waiting for a test.
- people who have received a positive COVID-19 test result (whether or not they have symptoms).
- people who currently live in the same household as someone with COVID-19 symptoms, or with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
- Self-isolation following a positive Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test
- How to minimise interacting with others during self-isolation
- Your health and wellbeing
- Negative test after experiencing symptoms
- Employees in care home, the NHS or a primary school
- Example of household self-isolation
- Further information
Example of a household with possible / confirmed COVID-19 symptoms
Mike, Georgio, Maria and Seyi live together.
Mike's self-isolation plan
- Mike begins experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. He starts his 10-day isolation period (arrange test if not already tested).
- On day 2 of self-isolation Mike's test results come back positive. He will self-isolate for the next 10 full days.
- On the day after Mike's 10 full days of self-isolation (if his symptoms have gone, or if the only remaining symptoms are a cough, or loss or taste / smell) he can stop self-isolating.
Georgio's self-isolation plan
- Georgio has no symptoms but begins his 10 day self-isolation period, as he has had contact with Mike.
- On the day after his 10 full days of self-isolation, Georgio can stop self-isolating.
Maria's self-isolation plan
- Maria has no symptoms but begins her 10 days self-isolation period, as she has had contact with Mike.
- On the fourth day of self-isolating, Maria begins experiencing symptoms. From this day, Maria begins a new 10 day self-isolation period. She arranges a test and continues to self-isolate whilst awaiting her test results.
- Maria's test results come back positive on the seventh day of self-isolation. She carries on with her current full 10 day self-isolation period.
- On the day after Maria's 10 full days of self-isolation (if her symptoms have gone, or if the only remaining symptoms are a cough, or loss or taste / smell) she can stop self-isolating.
Seyi's self-isolation plan
- Seyi has no symptoms but begins her 10 days self-isolation period, as she has had contact with Mike.
- On the third day, Seyi begins experiencing symptoms. She starts a new 10 day self-isolation period and arranges a test. She continues to self-isolate whilst awaiting her test results.
- On her fifth day of self-isolating, Seyi's test results come back negative. She continues with her current 10 day self-isolation period due to being in contact with Mike.
- On the day after her 10 full days of self-isolation, Seyi can stop self-isolating.
If you would like to view a visual representation of this example, you can view it on the GOV.UK website.
Page updated:
23/02/2021
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