Updated March 7, 2024; click here for PDF
COVID-19 remains a serious illness for many and is one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States. The best prevention tool against severe COVID-19 and death is for individuals to stay up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines.
Pursuant to the latest guidance from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding COVID-19, the following best practices are recommended to prevent the transmission of COVID-19:
- Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 shall self-isolate for the duration that symptoms persist, irrespective of whether the isolation period is shorter or longer than five (5) days. A minimum five (5) day isolation period is no longer mandated for those who test positive for COVID-19.
- Normal activities may be resumed when symptoms have continued to improve for at least twenty-four (24) hours and the following two conditions are met:
- The individual must be fever-free for a minimum of 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
- Individuals are feeling better to the point that they can return to their daily activities.
The best practice is not to end isolation until a negative result is obtained from a rapid antigen test. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and require an at-home rapid antigen test, please contact the Oak Park Health Department at 708-358-5480 or health@oak-park.us.
- If an individual experiences a fever or worsening symptoms after resuming normal activities, they must re-isolate for at least 24 hours, restart the procedures in point 1, and then take the additional precautions in point 4 for 5 more days, counting the first day out of isolation as day zero.
- The COVID-19 virus remains transmissible whether an infected individual exhibits no symptoms, mild symptoms, or severe symptoms. Even in the absence of severe symptoms, it is possible to spread the virus to high-risk individuals, including those over the age of 65 and those with compromised immune systems, who may experience more serious respiratory illness.
- For at least five (5) days from the day of a positive test (day zero), individuals should continue to implement precautionary measures. These measures include testing, wearing a well-fitting high-quality mask, proper and frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap is unavailable, maintaining a safe distance from others when possible, and meeting in outdoor or well-ventilated indoor spaces when possible.
- Certain populations, such as older adults, young children, individuals with weakened immune systems and disabilities, and pregnant individuals, should continue to take special precautions to remain protected. These groups may require longer recovery periods from respiratory illnesses and may have an extended duration of potential virus transmission to others. If you fall into any of these high-risk categories, take this into consideration when determining appropriate precautions upon returning to normal activities.
- The newest guidance is not applicable to individuals who work or reside in healthcare settings. Such individuals should continue to follow existing COVID-19 guidelines for those specific environments.