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COVID-19 Infection and Exposure Information
Calculating Your Isolation End Date
To determine the end date for your isolation period if you or someone you have come into contact with has tested positive for COVID-19, visit the CDC website for an Isolation and Exposure Calculator. You should also follow the guidelines listed below during your isolation period.
Isolation Procedures After Testing Positive for COVID-19
- Start Date: Your isolation starts at Day 0. If you are symptomatic, Day 0 is the date your symptoms started. If you are not symptomatic, Day 0 is the date your lab specimen was collected.
- Duration: Self-isolation is for a minimum of five days from your start date, but may last up to 10 days in total depending on symptoms.
- Asymptomatic Infection: If you developed no symptoms of COVID-19, you can discontinue self-isolation on Day 6. Wear a well-fitting mask through Day 10 to reduce the risk of further transmission to others.
- Symptomatic Infection: If you developed symptoms of COVID-19 and they have not improved by Day 5, you should continue to self-isolate. Once your symptoms are improving AND you have been fever-free for 24 hours, you may discontinue self-isolation. Wear a well-fitting mask through Day 10 when around others to reduce the risk of further transmission. If you are unable to wear a mask for any reason, you should self-isolate at home for 10 days.
Information You May Want to Share with Your Close Contacts or If You Have Been Exposed to COVID-19
No one from the St. Charles County Department of Public Health (SCCDPH) will be communicating with your contacts, so you should let people—especially those who may be at risk—know about their exposure to COVID-19. Information about what to do after an exposure to COVID-19 can be found here or by calling the SCCDPH COVID Hotline at 636-949-1899.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services recommends many ways your actions can help protect you, your household, and your community from severe illness from COVID-19.
- Stay home when sick.
- Test when symptomatic.
- PCR testing is free and available at the SCCDPH drive-through testing site Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9-11 a.m.
- Register for this testing here.
- Wear a mask in public indoor spaces.
- Know what is happening in your community by checking influenza and COVID-19 levels.
- Make sure you are up to date on your vaccines—especially those that protect you from respiratory illnesses like influenza, pertussis, and COVID-19.
- COVID-19 vaccines are extremely important in protecting individuals from severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Even if you have been previously infected with COVID-19, it is still important to get vaccinated (once your symptoms resolve) to protect you from future exposures.
- Schedule a vaccine appointment with SCCDPH.
- Find a vaccine provider near you.
Please contact the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 636-949-1899 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, with any further questions or concerns you may have.