Skip to main content Skip to site search
City of Berkeley

Top Bar

  • Housing Authority
  • Public Library
  • Rent Board
  • School District
City of Berkeley
  • City
    Services
    • Explore city services, report issues online, pay parking tickets

      More about city services

      • Report & Pay
      • Parking
      • Trash & Recycling
      • Getting Around
      • Event Permits & Rentals
      • Livable Neighborhoods
      • Streets, Sidewalks, Sewers, and Utilities
      • Birth & Death Certificates
      • Domestic Partnership
      • Community GIS Portal
      • Current Service Notices
      Report Issues online
      pay parking ticket
      residential parking permits
  • Community &
    Recreation
    • Explore news and events, adopt a pet, visit a city park or pool

      MORE ABOUT COMMUNITY & RECREATION

      • Events
      • News
      • Parks & Recreation
      • Seniors
      • Volunteering
      • Animal Care Services
      • Civic Arts
      • Waterfront
      • Affordable Housing in Berkeley
      • Community Services
      adopt a pet
      visit adventure playground
      reserve swim session
  • Safety &
    Health
    • Get vaccinated for COVID-19, report a crime, access homeless services

      MORE ABOUT SAFETY & HEALTH

      • COVID-19
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Fire
      • Public Health
      • Police
      • Police Accountability
      • Mental Health
      • Homeless Services
      covid vaccines
      covid testing
      covid data
  • Construction &
    Development
    • Apply for a permit, schedule an inspection, research zoning policies

      MORE ABOUT Construction & Development

      • Permits & Design Parameters
      • Seismic Safety
      • Green Building
      • Land Use & Development
      permit service center
      schedule inspection
      look up zoning
  • Doing
    Business
    • Apply for a business license, get business assistance, find bid & proposal opportunities

      MORE ABOUT Doing Business

      • Economic Development
      • Operating in Berkeley
      • Working with the City
      apply for business license
      get business assistance
      bid to work with the city
  • Your
    Government
    • Attend a City Council or commission meeting, apply for jobs, look up City holidays

      MORE ABOUT Your Government

      • About Us
      • Boards & Commissions
      • City Council
      • Elections
      • Financial Information
      • Jobs
      • Our Work
      • Public Records
      • City Holidays
      • Lobbyist Registration
      • City Audits
      apply for a job
      city council meetings
      boards & commissions
  • Housing Authority
  • Public Library
  • Rent Board
  • School District

You are here

  • Home
  • Safety & Health
  • COVID-19
  • If You're Sick, Isolate
Share Print

If You're Sick, Isolate

If you've been diagnosed with or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and suspect you have COVID-19, stay home and isolate yourself from others. 

Isolate yourself at home if:

  • you’ve received a positive lab test, or
  • you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or
  • you’ve been in close contact with someone who has or was believed to have had COVID-19 within 14 days AND you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptom, or
  • a health care provider has said you are “presumptively positive”

How to self-isolate

Stay home entirely when you’re isolating because you are a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19. Don’t visit public places or go out for a walk. Leave only to get medical care.

While you’re isolating:

  • Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces every day, including counters, tables, doorknobs, light switches, toilets, phones, remotes, and keyboards.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Have food and necessities delivered and left at your doorstep.
  • If you have pets, arrange for someone else to care for them and walk them if needed.

If you live with other people, separate yourself from the rest of your household as much as possible:

  • Don’t share household items, including dishes, utensils, towels, and bedding. Wash everything thoroughly after you use it.
  • Don’t prepare or serve food for others.
  • If you can, stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom.

Although staying in your own room is ideal, this is not an option for many in our community. If you can’t separate entirely from the rest of your household, take these precautions:

  • Stay as far from others as possible - at least six feet.
  • Wear a face covering while inside.
  • Others should wear a face covering when they are in the room with you, wash hand often, avoid touching their face.
  • Open windows or use a fan to keep air flowing.
  • Clean the bathroom immediately after you use it, before others enter. Follow CDC instructions for cleaning and disinfecting.
     

WHEN TO END ISOLATION 

People who have been diagnosed with or who are likely to have COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, should isolate themselves until for at least 5 days after start of symptoms. If you don’t have any symptoms, you should isolate for 5 days after the date of your first positive test.

Isolation can end after day 5 if:

  • You have no symptoms, or they are mild and improving and
  • You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medicine)

If fever is present, isolation should be continued until 24 hours after fever resolves.

If symptoms, other than fever, are not improving, continue to isolate until symptoms are improving or until after day 10.

You should wear a well-fitting mask around others for the full 10 days.

Resources

Find more information in detailed isolation and quarantine information:

  • CDPH Guidance for Isolation and Quarantine of the General Public
  • COVID-19 Symptoms flyer (City of Berkeley)

Last updated March 13, 2023

In this section
COVID-19
  • Get Tested for COVID-19
  • Get Vaccinated
  • Masks and Face Coverings
  • Quarantine Guidance
  • If You're Sick, Isolate
  • Información y Recursos
  • COVID-19 Safety in School, Child Care and Youth Settings
  • Information for Businesses
    • Worksite Exposures
    • Outreach Library
    • COVID-19: Outdoor commerce and dining
    • Commercial Leases during COVID-19
  • Active Health Officer Orders
    • Health Officer Orders Documents
  • COVID-19 Dashboards
    • Testing Data
    • Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths
    • Vaccine Data
COVID-19 Information
Email: covid19@berkeleyca.gov

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Connect with us online, by phone, or in person.

Footer Top

Report Online Contact us Visit
City of Berkeley
2180 Milvia St, Berkeley, CA 94704

Footer Social

Footer Right

  • Sign Up for Our Newsletter
  • Get alerted about emergencies

Footer

  • Departments
  • Permits
  • Records Online
  • Events
  • Jobs

Footer Bottom

  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Website Policy
  • Website Feedback
 

Translation Disclaimer

© 2023 City of Berkeley All rights reserved.