Call 1-833-540-0473 7 days a week, 8:00 am – 8:30 pm if you need assistance or help with resources.
In Los Angeles County, if you have COVID-19* you are required to:
*You are considered to have COVID-19, if you have a positive viral test for COVID-19 and/or a healthcare provider thinks that you have COVID-19.
Call the COVID Info line 833-540-0473 (open daily 8:00am–8:30pm) if you test positive for COVID-19 and have questions or need help. Call this number if you are experiencing homelessness and/or are unable to safely isolate or quarantine at home.
Help slow the spread of COVID-19 in LA County. If you get a call from “LA PublicHealth” or 1-833-641-0305 please answer the phone. If you get a text message from ‘Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’ with a link for an online interview, please complete it within 24 hours. (See Contact Tracing.)
If you have COVID-19, you must self-isolate regardless of vaccination status, previous infection, or lack of symptoms.
How long do I need to isolate?
You must isolate for at least 5 days. How long you have to isolate depends on whether you have symptoms and if you get a negative follow-up viral test on Day 5 or later. If you test on Day 5 or later, it is better to use an antigen test because NAAT/PCR tests are more likely to stay positive after you are no longer infectious.
Isolation can end after Day 5 ONLY if all of the following criteria are met:
-OR-
Isolation can end after Day 10 if if you have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.
If you do have a fever, continue isolation until 24 hours after your fever resolves.
For most people, isolation can end after Day 10* even if follow-up COVID-19 viral tests are still positive. This is because many people
continue to test positive even though they are not likely to still be infectious.
However, if you have a condition
that weakens your immune system or if you were severely ill with COVID-19 you might need to stay home for longer than 10 days. Talk to your doctor about when you can be around other people.
Day 0 is your first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed.
*If your doctor initially thought your symptoms were due to COVID-19 (and you did not test positive for COVID-19) but they reassessed your diagnosis and decided that you are not infected, you can stop isolating after 24 hours of being fever-free. But if you are a close contact to a person with COVID-19 you must follow the instructions on the Instructions for Close Contacts webpage.
**The test must be an FDA-authorized COVID-19 viral test such as an antigen or NAAT/PCR test. An antigen test is preferred. Self-tests are acceptable, but if it is used for return to work the test must be observed or reported in a certain way. For more information check with your employer and see Cal-OSHA Testing FAQs.
Note: Employers may require their employees/contractors to complete the full 10 days of isolation before returning to work in person. Employees should discuss return to work with their employer. See Return to Work (Non-Healthcare) Summary Table.
Isolation can end after Day 5 if:
-OR-
Isolation can end after Day 10 if:
For most people, isolation can end after Day 10, even if follow-up COVID-19 viral tests are positive. This is because many people continue to test positive even though they are not likely
to still be infectious.
However, if you have a condition
that weakens your immune system you might need to stay home for longer than 10 days. Talk to your doctor about when you can be around other people.
Day 0 is the day your positive test was taken. Day 1 is the first full day after your positive test was taken.
Important: if you develop symptoms, you must follow the ending isolation instructions for persons with symptoms. Your new Day 0 is the day your symptoms began. See above.
**The test must be an FDA-authorized COVID-19 viral test such as an antigen or NAAT/PCR test. An antigen test is preferred. Self-tests are acceptable, but if it is used for return to work the test must be observed or reported in a certain way. For more information check with your employer and see Cal-OSHA Testing FAQs.
Note: Employers may require their employees/contractors to complete the full 10 days of isolation before returning to work in person. Employees should discuss return to work with their employer. See Return to Work (Non-Healthcare) Summary Table.
While you are in isolation, you must wear a highly protective mask if you need to be around others, including people you live with.
If you meet the criteria to leave isolation after Day 5, it is strongly recommended that you continue to wear a highly protective mask around others, especially through Day 10. Note: if you return to work after Day 5, you are required to wear a mask at the workplace for a total of 10 days after your positive test. See Return to Work (Non-Healthcare) Summary Table.
A highly protective mask is one that fits and filters well such as a well-fitting respirator (such as an N95 or KN95), a double mask (a cloth mask over a medical mask), a well-fitting medical mask, or well-fitting, high-filtration cloth (“reusable”) mask with a nose-wire. Well-fitting respirators provide the most protection. See ph.lacounty.gov/masks for more details about masks that offer the best protection.
You must tell your close contacts that they could be infected. They must take steps to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 including masking, testing, and monitoring their health. Give them the instructions for close contacts. They are available in multiple languages at ph.lacounty.gov/covidcontacts. Your close contacts must follow the instructions even if they feel well or are fully vaccinated.
If you work or study in a setting where you could have gotten COVID-19 or passed it on to others, please tell your workplace or school so that they can advise others to test and to take any necessary precautions.
A “close contact” is any person who shared the same indoor airspace with you for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period while you were infectious*.
*You are considered to be infectious (meaning you can spread COVID-19 to others) starting 2 days before your symptoms began until your isolation ends. If you test positive for COVID-19 but do not have any symptoms, you are considered to be infectious from 2 days before your test was taken until your isolation ends.
Stay in touch with your doctor and seek medical care if your symptoms get worse.
People who are at high-risk of getting very sick who get COVID-19 should talk to their doctor about medicine that could prevent serious illness. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and are age 65 years or older and/or have an underlying medical condition, call your doctor right away, even if your symptoms are mild. Don’t delay: the medicines work best when they are given as soon as possible after symptoms start. For more information, talk to your doctor and see the medication webpage.
*depending on skin tone
People with emergency warning signs should call 911. If it’s not urgent, call your doctor before visiting. You may be able to get advice by phone.
COVID-19 and self-isolation are stressful for people. Visit the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s COVID-19 webpage and the 211LA webpage (211la.org/resources/subcategory/mental-health) for local resources to address mental health & wellbeing needs and concerns. In addition, guidance and resources, including information on crisis hotlines, are also available on the CDC webpage Coping with Stress.
LA County residents have free access to iPrevail.com, an online mental health resource to help with life's everyday stressors. After a short assessment, you are connected to customized support to meet your needs. Options include:
If you need to speak with someone about your mental health, contact your doctor or the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Access Center 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-854-7771. If you need help finding healthcare, call the Los Angeles County Information line at 2-1-1. This number is available 24/7.
Contact tracing is a simple, confidential process that is being used to help slow the spread of COVID-19. You can do your part by answering a few simple questions about the places you have been and the people you have been around while you were infectious.