What to do after COVID exposure?

October 7, 2022 11:54 AM

My work requires us to be in the office, but outside folks are required to test. I was going to be in charge of escorting a new person into the office, and he tested positive for Covid on the 15 minute rapid tests. He immediately left, but I'm now left feeling unsure of the proper steps to take here, and how to protect myself and my partner.

More info, I'm wearing a mask as was he the entire time, except for when he tested. I was about 5 feet away from him most of the time, and was only in contact for less than 10 minutes. I'm not really sure what to do next. I know it's not a guaranteed chance of infection, but even with masks it's not 0 either.

I'd like to not infect my partner if possible, assuming I do test positive, but know I won't know for 3-5 days. Is the risk high enough I should self segregate in my home office for a week until we're sure and wear masks at home? Is that overkill?

I know it's not the end of the world, but I do feel pretty discombobulated right now, so sorry for the broad strokes questions.

posted by Carillon to Health & Fitness (11 answers total)

What kind of masks are we talking here? N95/KN95/KF94 is a different situation from cloth masks or surgical masks.
posted by Alterscape at 11:55 AM on October 7, 2022 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: I'm wearing an N95, the other person I think had a an kn or something, I didn't check at the time.
posted by Carillon at 11:56 AM on October 7, 2022

Best answer: If you were BOTH wearing an n95 the whole time I wouldn't be very worried. I assume I've been around someone contagious every time I've been out & it still has never been enough to get past the mask. This link talks about how long it takes for an infectious dose to penetrate an n95.
posted by bleep at 12:00 PM on October 7, 2022 [15 favorites]

Best answer: The CDC defines a close contact as being within 6 foot of someone for more than 15 minutes. The CDC recommendation would be to do nothing right now.

If you were wearing an N95 and they were wearing some sort of reasonable mask and you were not near them for any significant amount of time, I would do nothing, myself. It is highly likely you have been exposed to various people infected with COVID for varying amounts of the time over the past two years - it just happens that this is one of the times you know you have.
posted by saeculorum at 12:01 PM on October 7, 2022 [10 favorites]

Best answer: I'm on the more paranoid side of Covid thinking, but I agree that you're pretty much safe. However, if it's not too much of a struggle, housing wise, you could definitely spend a couple of days separated from your partner, and you could both wear masks inside the house. I probably wouldn't do that unless either of you have serious health reasons for protecting yourselves from exposure.
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:14 PM on October 7, 2022 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Are you vaccinated and boosted? That would lower your risk. Given the short timing of the exposure and the fact that you had a mask on I think it's a pretty low risk interaction. Under CDC guidelines you would not need to isolate. You've probably had similar exposures throughout your daily life. Health care workers have much higher risk exposures on a daily basis and typically don't isolate/mask at home. There's no guarantee but aside from testing every day or two and monitoring yourself for symptoms I wouldn't do much else, although I would avoid visiting elderly relatives for the next few days. During 2020 I helped out at some COVID testing sites (where many people tested positive) wearing appropriate PPE and didn't take precautions at home. I still haven't had COVID. *Knocks on wood*
posted by emd3737 at 12:38 PM on October 7, 2022 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks all, appreciate the advice so far, and it helps me put it into perspective.
posted by Carillon at 12:46 PM on October 7, 2022

I wouldn't worry about this at all and would not isolate. My dad works as an ER doc and interacts with Covid+ patients all the time wearing an N95, and outside of work he goes about his life as normal, as do all the other doctors and nurses that he works with.

With both of you masked you were protected. You're good.
posted by amaire at 1:08 PM on October 7, 2022 [8 favorites]

Anecdata: I spent basically all of May as a close contact, but my exposures were (AFAIK) outdoors or masked, and I didn't catch it. I'd be surprised if you caught it under the circumstances. No harm in testing in a couple days if you have plenty of tests, and definitely test if you become symptomatic.

And on the subject of plenty of tests: If you're in the US and insured, you should be eligible for 8 free rapid tests per month! This benefit won't be around forever, so if you qualify, I'd stock up if I were you.
posted by eirias at 1:14 PM on October 7, 2022

I think you're probably fine. But as someone who tends toward a lot of caution because long COVID would be devastating in my household, I'd do whatever level of masking and isolating would be reasonably practical to do without turning the household upside down. I don't think it would be a wild thing to do if it's not much trouble for you.
posted by Stacey at 2:12 PM on October 7, 2022 [3 favorites]

Majority of people who get a symptomatic case would be showing symptoms by / on Day 3. Quarantining for five days would probably be overkill.
posted by slidell at 1:27 AM on October 8, 2022