What you need to know.

The Arkansas Health Department (ADH) has released two COVID-19 patient information sheets  regarding the expectations and requirements for both Isolation of positive cases as well as quarantine for people who have been exposed to someone with the virus. Our hope is that this can be a standard, uniform handout given to anyone who is either a case or a close contact. ADH has heard from many, both cases and close-contacts, who are confused about the recommendations and requirements for the situation. Sometimes they have even received advice from medical personnel that is contradictory to what ADH is requiring. We ask you to print and hand out, respectively, to patients you have who are diagnosed with COVID-19 and for exposed persons you advise.

What is Isolation?

Isolation is for people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. If you have COVID-19, being in isolation means you must stay home and away from others while you are infectious in order to stop the spread of the virus to anyone else.

Arkansas Department of Health (ADH): COVID-19 Isolation requirements

What is Quarantine?

Quarantine is an important way to stop the spread of COVID-19. It means staying home and away from others after you have been exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. If you are a close contact to a person with COVID-19, you need to quarantine for 14 days from the time of the exposure. Close contact, generally, means you were within 6 feet of the person for at least 15 minutes total while they were infectious. COVID-19 patients are considered infectious two days before their symptoms started, or two days before their positive test if they do not develop symptoms. If you are a close contact, you need to quarantine for 14 days even if you don’t feel sick and even if you have received a negative test for COVID-19.

Arkansas Department of Health (ADH): COVID-19 Quarantine requirements