Isolation and Exposure Guidance for People Who Work, Reside or Attend a Congregate Setting (ex. Correctional Facilities, Homeless Shelters)

The general public does not include people who work in healthcare settings or people who work in, reside in, or attend other congregate settings, such as correctional facilities or homeless shelters. People who work in healthcare should follow the guidelines outlined on the healthcare worker webpage.

The guidance below does not include long-term care facility residents. These residents should follow guidance outlined by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) or Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Isolation (Test Positive or Have Symptoms after Exposure)

What happens if someone who works, resides in, or attends a congregate setting test positive for COVID-19?

If you test positive for COVID-19, you must remain at home for 10 full days after you first noticed symptoms or the day you were sampled (if no symptoms)

Day 0 is the date of symptom onset or sample date if no symptoms

If you have a negative viral test per the guidelines below, you can leave your home after 7 full days, as long as your symptoms are improving and you have been fever-free 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, you were not hospitalized, and you do not have a weakened immune system.

PCR test: one negative test must be obtained within 48 hours prior to returning to work (staff) or leaving isolation (resident)
Antigen test: two negative tests must be obtained, one no sooner than Day 5 and the second 48 hours later

You should stay away from other people in your home to avoid spreading the virus to them.

If you can, isolating in a room by yourself and using a separate bathroom is best. If you can’t do this, you should stay as far away from other household members as possible.
Wear a mask.
Surfaces (like doorknobs, tabletops, and bathroom fixtures) in your home should be disinfected daily.
You should not share food or personal items with other household members.
Maintain six feet distance.

COVID-19 Exposure (Close Contact of Someone with COVID-19)

CDC and KDHE no longer recommended quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19. However, people with COVID-19 exposure should still follow the recommendations below, regardless of vaccination status.

Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days from the date of last exposure.
Test on Day 5 (antigen or PCR).
If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home until results are available.

If you test positive, follow the guidance for isolation above.

Who is considered a “close contact?”

CDC has moved away from the previous definition of a close contact and moved toward information for individuals on "Understanding Exposure Risks" (more information).

Multiple factors increase the risk of getting COVID-19 after being exposed to someone with COVID-19 including:

Longer time spent with the infected person
If the infected person was coughing, singing, shouting or breathing heavily
If the infected person had symptoms
If neither the infected person nor the exposed person was wearing a high-quality mask
If the space was poorly ventilated
If the exposed person was very close or touching the infected person.

When two more of these factors are present, the exposed person should follow exposure guidelines and mask for 10 days.

What happens if someone from the general public is a close contact of someone with COVID-19?

If you are a close contact, you should follow the recommendations above.
If you develop symptoms while you are in quarantine, you can check the testing locator website to find a testing location near you.
If you test positive, you can spread the virus and should remain at home and in isolation for 5 full days or until symptoms are resolving and you are fever-free 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications, whichever is longer, then wear a mask for an additional 5 days (per the Isolation Guidelines above).

Guidelines for Facilities

Additional information about updated COVID-19 guidelines for congregate settings can be found on the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/homeless-correctional-settings.html