Stay at home until you have no fever and symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours for gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and/or diarrhea).
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you may be eligible for COVID-19 testing and treatment. Treatment must be taken within the first 5-7 days from the start of your symptoms.
You are considered a person with COVID-19 if ANY of the following apply:
For more information on what to do if you are a person with COVID-19, visit the Provincial website.
If you have any COVID-19 symptoms (even if mild), it is recommended that you stay home (self-isolate) while you are sick.
This means:
To find out how long you need to self-isolate, complete the COVID-19 Self Assessment. Follow Public Health Ontario’s instructions on how to self-isolate.
If you tested positive for COVID-19, but do not have any symptoms, you are not required to self-isolate. You should self-monitor for symptoms and self-isolate if symptoms develop. Wear a well-fitted, high quality mask when in public settings, especially if they are crowded or have poor ventilation, and avoid non-essential visits to vulnerable individuals (e.g. seniors) and high risk settings for 10 days from your positive test date.
Individuals with a weak immune system should isolate for at least 10 days (from symptom onset or positive test date) regardless if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
Note: The Toronto Voluntary Isolation Centre is closed. If you have questions about self-isolation, you can call Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600 (Monday to Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
To stop the spread of COVID-19, it is important that you notify your close contacts, so that they can self-monitor for symptoms and self-isolate (stay home) if symptoms develop. A close contact is anyone who you spent time with when you were infectious.
Please refer your close contact to the what to do if you are a close contact webpage for more information.
High-risk settings are settings where there are vulnerable populations and/or where risk for transmission is greatest. High-risk settings include:
If you live in a high-risk setting, you must self-isolate for at least 5-10 days after the positive test date or symptom onset (whichever is earlier), depending on the setting. Follow the isolation direction provided by the setting. Self-isolate for your required isolation period and until you have no fever and your symptoms have been improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and/or diarrhea).
If you work/volunteer/attend a high-risk settings you should follow the direction in the Stay Home and Self-Isolate section above. Generally, you can return to work after 10 days. Speak to your employer and follow workplace instructions for return to work.
If you work in a high-risk setting, tell your employer that you have tested positive for COVID-19 and follow workplace policies.
If you do not work in a high risk setting, it is recommended that you tell your employer to decrease the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace.
If you test positive for COVID-19, you may be contacted by the Assessment Centre or Toronto Public Health. You may receive either a text message, a call, or both in some cases.
If you receive a text message from Toronto Public Health, it will be from 77000. If you have any questions about text messages from Toronto Public Health, you can call Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600. Please do no reply to these text messages as your message will not be received.
The information on this page provides the direction on what you need to do; see the self-isolate section for how long you should self-isolate.
As part of your call you may be:
Keep track of your symptoms so you can tell a health care provider how you have been feeling. Learn more on when to seek medical attention.
You do not need a test to show you have recovered from COVID-19 or to end your isolation. Re-testing is not recommended because you may still test positive for several weeks even though you are no longer infectious.
A negative test, doctor’s note, or clearance letter is not required for you to return to work and Toronto Public Health does not provide return-to-work letters.
In general, you can return to work, school, and your everyday activities when you have no fever and your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (48 hours if you have gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea).
If you work in a high-risk setting, you can return to work after 10 days from positive test date or symptom onset (whichever is earlier), or sooner in some instances. Speak to your employer and follow workplace policies.
Toronto Public Health recommends that you continue to practice prevention measures. These include hand washing and physical distancing, where possible. Toronto Public Health also recommends wearing a well-fitted, high quality mask when in indoor public settings, especially if they are crowded or have poor ventilation or if you are around people who are at higher risk (such as seniors or those with a weak immune system). Masks are especially recommended for people at higher risk of getting seriously sick from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. Masks are still required in some settings.
You may feel lingering effects of your illness even after your self-isolation period ends. Please speak with your health care provider or call Health Connect Ontario at 811 if you need further care.
If you have questions about your self-isolation period or whether you can return to work, call Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600.
For information about vaccination, see Vaccinations While Pregnant or Breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding (also known as chest feeding) your baby is recommended even if you have COVID-19. This is because breast milk has many health benefits for babies, including protection from different illnesses.
If you have made an informed decision to feed your baby infant formula:
All caregivers must practice good hygiene, including hand washing and wearing a face mask, before touching the baby, breast pump, or feeding bottles and equipment.
If you feel too sick to breastfeed or are not with your baby, try to hand express or pump your milk at least eight times in 24 hours, and once during the night. This will help keep up your breastmilk supply.
Learn more about breastfeeding and COVID-19 and breastfeeding.
Also see information about vaccinations while breastfeeding.
If you are caring for or living with someone who has a respiratory illness, such as COVID-19 and the flu, follow these steps to reduce the spread of illness at home: