Stay Home When Sick

This information outlines how long to stay home if you're sick with a respiratory illness such as COVID-19, flu and RSV. It also outlines how long to stay home from school and child care settings.

Guidance may differ for those who work in highest risk settings such as a hospital, long-term care home or retirement home. Employees should speak with their employer and follow workplace guidance for return to work.

Other illnesses may have different guidance for how long you should stay home for. Follow the direction of Public Health or your health care provider.

How long to stay home

Respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, flu and RSV can cause similar symptoms. It can be hard to know what you may have based on just symptoms alone.

Staying home when you're sick is one of the best ways to prevent spreading illness to others.

If you're sick, stay home until all of the following apply to you:

You do not have a fever, without the use of fever reducing medication; and
Your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if you had nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea); and
You do not develop any additional symptoms

Immunocompromised and COVID-19

If you're immunocompromised and test positive for COVID-19 or have not been tested yet, stay home for 10 days from when your symptoms started or from the date of the positive COVID-19 test, whichever is earlier.

If you test negative, follow the how long to stay home guidance.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a respiratory illness may include:

Fever / chills
Cough
Sore throat
Shortness of breath
Runny nose / nasal congestion
Muscle aches
Headache
Extreme weakness and tiredness
Diarrhea or vomiting

Things to remember when you're sick

Do your best at home to self-isolate. This will help prevent other household members from getting sick.
When you're no longer staying at home, follow additional precautions to prevent respiratory illnesses. This will help prevent the spread of illness in the community.
If you were around other people (household or non-household contacts) while you were sick let them know of their potential exposure. Refer them to additional precautions to prevent respiratory illnesses that they can take.
Contact your health care provider if you have symptoms and are at higher risk of severe illness. People at higher risk may benefit from available treatments. A health care provider will determine if prescribed treatment is right for you.
If your symptoms are getting worse, know your health care options on where to go in Niagara to access the care you need

If you don't have a family doctor, learn about family physicians accepting new patients and walk-in clinics in Niagara
Contact Health811 for 24/7 health advice

Other resources

RSV Prophylaxis for High-Risk Infants Program - Ministry of Health
COVID-19 Testing and Treatment - Ministry of Health
Post COVID-19 condition (long COVID) - Public Health Agency of Canada
COVID-19 and animals - Public Health Agency of Canada