Testing
      Back to home
      1. 211info COVID-19 Information & Resources
      2. Seeking Care
      3. Testing

      What to do if you test positive?

      This information is subject to change. Please double-check sources for information and continue to monitor sources or check back here for updates.

      In Oregon, a five-day isolation period for those infected with COVID-19 will no longer be recommended for the general population. The Oregon Health Authority recommends people infected with COVID-19 stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours with improving symptoms and to avoid contact with people at high risk of severe illness and consider masking for 10 days. 

      It is not necessary for you to report your positive test result to the Oregon Health Authority. 

      For more information on what to do if you test positive, read here. 

       

      Telling your close contacts

      • If you had or have symptoms: Contact the people you were in close contact with beginning 2 days
        before your symptoms began.
      • If you did not or do not have symptoms: Contact the people you were in close contact with beginning 2 days before you took your COVID-19 test.
      • Regardless of vaccination status, close contacts should watch for symptoms.
        • They can talk to their doctors about getting a test, call 2-1-1 if they don’t have a doctor, or get tested at a community test site. It’s best if they wait 5 days from when they were around you before taking a test. The test may not work if they get tested too soon. If they test positive, they should tell anyone they’ve been in close contact with.
        • They should also talk with their doctor about whether they may be at risk for severe disease, and whether they may be a candidate for treatment.

      Need help telling people?

      Here’s an example of what to say to your close contacts:
      After we spent time together recently, I was tested for COVID-19 and tested positive. Because we had close contact, public health recommends that you watch for symptoms for 10 days after we last saw each other and take any other safety measures you want. You can talk to your doctor about getting a test, call 2-1-1 if you don’t have a doctor, or get tested at a community test site. It’s best if you wait 5 days from when we were last together before getting tested. The test may not work if you get tested too soon.
      You can also look on the COVID-19 website (https://govstatus.egov.com/or-oha-covid-19-positive-test) for more information.
      I know this may be hard news to hear, so if you want to talk, give me a call.”