A reminder from health officials on what to do if you test positive for coronavirus

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - President Trump and Governor Northam testing positive for coronavirus has topped recent headlines, leading health officials to remind people what to do if they test positive.

Dr. Danny Avula, the Health Director for the City of Richmond and Henrico County, says anyone who tests positive must go into isolation for at least ten days and then meet these three criteria.

“It has to of been at least 10 days from the time of your symptoms, if you’re asymptomatic that would be 10 days from the day of your diagnosis, you have to have at least 24 hours without a fever, and then you have to have a resolution of any other COVID related symptoms,” said Dr. Avula.

If anyone believes they came in contact with someone with COVID-19, that’s when you go into quarantine.

“It can take as long as 14 days once exposed to COVID for your body to actually become infected...so we recommend a 14-day quarantine, to be sure that somebody is not taking a long time to develop symptoms,” said Dr. Avula.

Dr. Avula says the reason is to contain the disease and hopefully prevent an outbreak.

“If we have a new positive test, we do a thorough investigation, we learn about where that person has been with...who they have spent time with that met the epidemiologic definition of having spent more than 15 minutes within 6 feet of an individual,” said Dr. Avula.

A reminder, the Department of Health says you could see symptoms anywhere from 2 to 14 days after you’re exposed.

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