By Thu Nguyen 

January 13, 2022

SAN JOSE, CALIF — So you took a Covid-19 test and the results are positive. What should you do? 

California citizens are rapidly testing positive for Covid-19 following students turning to class after winter break. As of Wednesday January 13, 2022, there is an average of 79,610 positive cases reported everyday. (Source: COVID19.CA.GOV)

Whether or not you’ve gotten vaccinated, here’s what you should do if you test positive. 

1. Isolate – The CDC guidelines recommend that people with Covid-19 should be isolated for 5 days, even if they are not asymptomatic. It is best for you to not leave your house during those days and steer away from contact with uninfected people in your household. 

Isolation also includes avoiding sharing or touching the same items/objects with other people. A couple examples would be dishes, cups, and pets. 

It is ideal for you to sleep and eat on your own without the presence of other people around to best prevent the spread of the virus. 

If you need to share living spaces, wear a mask in order to limit additional covid infections. Staying at least 6 feet away from those living in your household and washing your hands with soap often also helps. 

2. Inform those who you have had contact with

You should contact anyone whom you have had close contact with as soon as possible to alert them of your positive test results. It is best to let them know for the safety of your friends and family’s health. 

You are still possibly contagious even if you were wearing a mask in their presence. Advise them to stay at home, quarantine, and get tested to slow the spread of the virus even more. 

People you might have had close contacts with include those living in the same household as you, those whom you go to school or work with, and those you have seen in person such as your dentist or doctor. 

By letting them know that they might have possibly been exposed to Covid-19, you are helping to protect them and others within the community. 

Vivian Nguyen, a junior at Silver Creek High School, recommends, “tell whoever you’ve been in contact with to get tested.” 

3. Notify your school or work – It is important for your work or school to be notified of your situation. It can help prevent the spread of infection among your acquaintances. 

Timely notification can help isolate those who could possibly be infected to prepare them to take proper actions such as quarantine, testing, and wearing a mask. It can slow the outbreak and prevent school closure from large numbers of positive cases. 

By notifying your school, they can have a designated staff to begin tracing any contact you may have had and confidentially inform them.