COVID-19 & Other Respiratory Illnesses

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, e.g. a cold, the flu or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), you should stay home and self-isolate until all the following apply:

• Your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if you had nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea)
• You do not have a fever
• You do not develop any additional symptoms

If you are sick, stay home to prevent transmission to others, except to seek testing or medical care if required.

Tell your household members and other close contacts that you are sick, and follow the recommendations above.

A close contact is anyone you were less than two meters away for at least 15 minutes, or multiple shorter lengths of time, without measures such as masking and/or distancing in the 48 hours before your symptoms began or your positive test result, whichever came first.

Once your symptoms have been improving and you are no longer self-isolating at home (i.e., the three recommendations outlined above apply to you) you should continue to take additional precautions.

Additional Precautions

Taking additional precautions can add another layer of prevention against the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses circulating in the community.

For 10 days after your symptoms started, last day of exposure, or positive test result:

• self-monitor for new or worsening symptoms
• seek testing (if eligible) if you develop any new or different symptoms
• wear a tight-fitting, well-constructed mask as much as possible in all public settings, unless:
  • you are temporarily removing it for essential activities (such as when eating in shared space at school/work) while still maintaining as much distancing from others as possible
  • you are unable to mask (such as children under two years of age)
• avoid non-essential activities where you need to take off your mask (for example, playing a wind instrument, sports that require removing your mask, dining out)
• avoid non-essential visits to anyone who is immunocompromised or may be at higher risk of illness (for example, seniors)
• avoid non-essential visits to highest risk settings, such as hospitals and long-term care homes
• where visits cannot be avoided, wear a mask and recommend the individual being visited also wear a mask

If you have been exposed to COVID-19 and work in a high-risk setting (such as a hospital, a long-term care home, or a retirement home), you should speak with your employer and follow your workplace guidance for return to work.

When your symptoms are improving and you are no longer isolating at home, doing the following can provide extra protection against the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses circulating in the community.

If you have COVID‑19 symptoms and are at a higher risk of severe illness, you should get tested for COVID‑19 and seek care as soon as possible as you may benefit from available COVID‑19 treatments. These treatments should be taken as soon as possible and within the first 5 days to 7 days of symptom onset. 

There are two main publicly-funded tests available in Ontario to those who are eligible: rapid antigen tests (RATs) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

You are eligible for publicly-funded COVID-19 testing if you have COVID 19 symptoms and belong to any of these groups:

• people aged 65 years of age and older.
• people aged 18 years of age and older who have at least one condition that puts them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease.
• people who are immunocompromised.
• residents and patients in certain high-risk settings including hospitals and congregate living settings with medically and socially vulnerable individuals (for example, in long-term care and other specific populations and settings).
• people in the context of suspected or confirmed outbreaks, as directed by the local public health unit.

If you develop symptoms and you are eligible for a publicly-funded test, we recommend you contact your primary care provider or pharmacist to find out about test availability and to arrange to take a test.

Antiviral treatments for COVID-19 (including Paxlovid and Remdesivir) can prevent serious illness if you take them in the first few days after symptoms start.
A physician, nurse practitioner or participating pharmacist may prescribe you antiviral treatment if you:

• have symptoms and test positive for COVID-19 (positive PCR or rapid antigen test)
• are at increased risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 because you are either:
  • 65 years of age or older (regardless of vaccine status and any other risk factors)
  • Immunocompromised (regardless of vaccine status or prior COVID-19 infections), for example:
    • recipient of solid organ transplant
    • treatment for a malignant hematologic condition
    • bone marrow, stem cell transplant, or transplant-related immunosuppressant use
    • receipt of anti-CD20 drugs or B cell– depleting drugs (such as rituximab) in the past 2 years
      • severe primary immunodeficiencies
      • treatment for cancer, including solid tumours
      • treatment with significantly immunosuppressing drugs (e.g., a biologic in the past 3 months, oral immune-suppressing medication in the past months, oral steroid [20 mg/day of prednisone equivalent taken on an ongoing basis] in the past month, or immune-suppressing infusion or injection in the past 3 months)
      • advanced HIV infection (treated or untreated)
      • moderate primary immunodeficiencies
      • renal conditions (i.e., hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, glomerulonephritis and dispensing of a steroid, eGFR<15mL/min/1.73m²)
  • At increased risk to due to other medical conditions or risk factors, for example:
    • diabetes treated with insulin
    • severe or end-stage lung condition (for example, cystic fibrosis, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma)
    • rare blood and genetic disorder such as, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, urea cycle defects
    • severe intellectual or developmental disability

Antiviral treatments are only used to prevent serious outcomes and will not make you feel better faster.

Your health care provider will determine if, and which treatment (Paxlovid or Remdesivir) is right for you based on:

• which medications you currently take
• what underlying medical conditions you have

For more information, please visit Ontario’s COVID-19 Testing and Treatment guidance.