Introduction:
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus discovered in 2019. The virus spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Some people who are infected may not have symptoms. For people who have symptoms, illness can range from mild to severe. Adults 65 years and older and people of any age with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness. People ages 5 years and older should get COVID-19 vaccines to prevent getting and spreading the illness. Everyone ages 16 and older can get a booster shot.

COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus discovered in 2019. The virus spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Some people who are infected may not have symptoms. For people who have symptoms, illness can range from mild to severe. Adults 65 years and older and people of any age with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness. People ages 5 years and older should get COVID-19 vaccines to prevent getting and spreading the illness. Everyone ages 16 and older can get a booster shot.

Vaccinations

Minority Outreach

K-12 Schools and Childcare

Vaccination Record Request

Data

Board of Health Resolutions

Treatment Locations

Testing

Symptoms of Covid-19

People with Covid-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

Isolation

If you test positive for Covid-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home.

You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days.

Wear a high-quality mask if you must be around others at home and in public.
Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask. For travel guidance, see CDC’s Travel webpage.
Do not travel.
Stay home and separate from others as much as possible.
Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible.
Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (like trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.
Learn more about what to do if you have Covid-19.

Ending Isolation

End isolation based on how serious your Covid-19 symptoms were. Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation.

If you had no symptoms

You may end isolation after day 5.

If you had symptoms and:

Your symptoms are improving

You may end isolation after day 5 if:

You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication).

Your symptoms are not improving

Continue to isolate until:

You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication).
Your symptoms are improving. ¹

Moderate illness (you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing)

You need to isolate through day 10.

Severe illness (you were hospitalized) or have a weakened immune system

You need to isolate through day 10.
Consult your doctor before ending isolation.
Ending isolation without a viral test may not be an option for you.

If you are unsure if your symptoms are moderate or severe or if you have a weakened immune system, talk to a healthcare provider for further guidance.

Regardless of when you end isolation

Until at least day 11:

Avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from Covid-19.
Remember to wear a high-quality mask when indoors around others at home and in public.
Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask until you are able to discontinue masking (see below).
For travel guidance, see CDC’s Travel webpage.

What if I Have Been Exposed to COVID-19?

If an individual is exposed to COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, they do not need to quarantine, but should monitor for symptoms, wear a face mask when around others for 10 days, and get tested on day 5 (day 0 is the day of last exposure to someone with COVID-19). If this test is positive, they should isolate immediately and follow isolation guidelines. In addition, if symptoms develop at any time, they should isolate immediately, get tested and if positive, follow isolation guidelines.

Treating COVID-19

If you have COVID-19 and are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, treatments are available that can reduce your chances of being hospitalized or dying from the disease. Medications to treat COVID-19 must be prescribed by a healthcare provider and started as soon as possible after diagnosis to be effective. Contact a healthcare provider right away to determine if you are eligible for treatment, even if your symptoms are mild right now.

Don’t delay: Treatment must be started within days of when you first develop symptoms to be effective.

People who are more likely to get very sick include older adults (ages 50 years or more, with risk increasing with age), people who are unvaccinated, and people with certain medical conditions, such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, or a weakened immune system. Being vaccinated makes you much less likely to get very sick. Still, some vaccinated people, especially those ages 65 years or older or who have other risk factors for severe disease, may benefit from treatment if they get COVID-19. A healthcare provider will help decide which treatment, if any, is right for you. Check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are taking other medications to make sure the COVID-19 treatments can be safely taken at the same time.

Treatments

The FDA has authorized antiviral medications to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick.

Antiviral treatments target specific parts of the virus to stop it from multiplying in the body, helping to prevent severe illness and death.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines for healthcare providers to help them work with their patients and determine the best treatment options for them. Several options are available for treating COVID-19. They include:

Treatment	Who	When	How
Nirmatrelvir with Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Antiviral	Adults; children ages 12 years and older	Start as soon as possible; must begin within 5 days of when symptoms start	Taken at home by mouth (orally)
Remdesivir (Veklury) Antiviral	Adults and children	Start as soon as possible; must begin within 7 days of when symptoms start	Intravenous (IV) infusions at a healthcare facility for 3 consecutive days
Molnupiravir (Lagevrio) Antiviral	Adults	Start as soon as possible; must begin within 5 days of when symptoms start	Taken at home by mouth (orally)

Some treatments might have side effects or interact with other medications you are taking. Ask a healthcare provider if medications to treat COVID-19 are right for you. If you don’t have a healthcare provider, visit a Test to Treat location or contact your local community health center or health department.

If you are hospitalized, your healthcare provider might use other types of treatments, depending on how sick you are. These could include medications to treat the virus, reduce an overactive immune response, or treat COVID-19 complications.

Convalescent Plasma

Some people with COVID-19 who are immunocompromised or are receiving immunosuppressive treatment may benefit from a treatment called convalescent plasma. Your healthcare provider can help decide whether this treatment is right for you.

Community Levels

At all Covid-19 Community Levels:

Stay up to date on vaccination, including recommended booster doses.
Maintain ventilation improvements.
Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed Covid-19.
Follow recommendations for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed Covid-19.
Follow the recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with Covid-19.
If you are at high risk of getting very sick, talk with a healthcare provider about additional prevention actions.

MEDIUM AND HIGH

When the Covid-19 Community Level is Medium or High:
If you are at high risk of getting very sick, wear a well-fitting mask or respirator when indoors in public.
If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for getting very sick, consider testing to detect infection before contact and consider wearing a mask when indoors with them.

HIGH

When the Covid-19 Community Level is High:
Wear a well-fitting mask or respirator when indoors.
If you are at high risk of getting very sick, consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed.