GUIDE: Isolation and Quarantine Rules for COVID Exposure, Positive Cases

(SPOT.ph) After two years of muted Christmas celebrations due to COVID-19, Filipinos can now party maskless thanks to immunity from vaccines and booster shots.

While we have basically everything we need to protect ourselves from COVID-19, it is still possible to catch it especially during the Christmas season. In case of exposure or infection, there are protocols in place to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.

Also read:
I Got COVID for Christmas in 2020 and 2021. How to Avoid Getting Sick This Year?
Got COVID Symptoms? Skip Christmas Parties to Be Safe, DOH Says

COVID quarantine and isolation protocols

For close contacts of people with COVID

The updated quarantine period for close contacts, or those exposed to COVID-positive persons differs according to vaccination status. DOH defines close contacts as those who had maskless interactions less than one meter away from infected persons for 15 minutes or more.

For the fully vaccinated with no symptoms: zero days
For the partially vaccinated or unvaccinated: At least 14 days from exposure

Close contacts must monitor symptoms up to 14 days, wear well-fitting masks even at home, and follow minimum public health standards.

For the COVID-positive with mild or moderate symptoms, asymptomatic

COVID-19 cases without symptoms, including medical frontliners, must isolate based on their date of test.

Fully vaccinated: At least seven days from positive test
Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated: At least 10 days from positive test

Fully-vaccinated individuals including healthcare workers will have to isolate for at least one week from the onset of symptoms if they are:

• COVID-probable with symptoms
• COVID-positive with mild symptoms

Partially-vaccinated or unvaccinated persons including healthcare workers need to isolate for at least 10 days from onset of symptoms if they are:

• COVID-probable with symptoms
• COVID-positive with mild symptoms

Regardless of vaccination status, those experiencing moderate symptoms will have to isolate for at least 10 days from onset of symptoms.

Healthcare workers who are fully-vaccinated with boosters can isolate for up to five days based on the risk and benefits assessment of the hospital or facility where they are working, DOH said.

For severe and critical cases, those with weak immune systems

COVID-19 patients, including healthcare workers, considered severe or critical cases must isolate for at least 21 days from onset of symptoms regardless of vaccination status.

Those who are immunocompromised or with autoimmune disease, HIV, cancer or malignancy, transplant patients, undergoing steroid treatment, patients with poor prognosis and bedridden patients are also required to isolate for at least 21 days from onset of symptoms with a negative repeat RT-PCR test.