Steps to take if exposed to COVID-19 during a Thanksgiving gathering

Steps After Exposure

If you are exposed to COVID-19 at a holiday gathering, while traveling, or at any time, quarantine yourself to protect others by doing the following:

Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
Stay away from others, especially people who are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Watch for fever (100.4◦F or higher), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19
Consider getting tested for COVID-19 around 5-7 days following the gathering.  Even if you test negative for COVID-19 or feel healthy, you should still stay home (quarantine) for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.  This is because symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus, and some infected people never have symptoms but are still contagious.
Do not travel until 14 days after your last possible exposure.

If you can’t completely stay away from others during the 14 days:

Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) away from other people.
Wear a mask that covers both the mouth and nose when you are outside of your home.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol).
Monitor yourself and household members for symptoms of COVID-19.
Get information about COVID-19 testing if you feel sick.

If you develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 within 14 days of the event or celebration, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, or if you test positive for COVID-19, immediately notify the host and others who attended. They may need to inform other attendees about their possible exposure to the virus. Contact your health care provider and follow the CDC-recommended steps for what to do if you become sick, and follow the public health recommendations for community-related exposure.

If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, a public health worker may contact you to check on your health and ask you who you have been in contact with and where you’ve spent time in order to identify and provide support to people (contacts) who may have been infected. Your information will be confidential. Learn more about what to expect with contact tracing.

COVID-19 Call Center

The Tulsa Health Department has established a call center available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to answer COVID-19 related questions. The number is 918-582-WELL (9355). The call center has the capability to connect callers to Spanish-speaking interpreters. For more information, please dial 2-1-1.