How to Notify Contacts if you Test Positive for Covid-19

Early notification can make the difference in effective treatments being administered, thereby avoiding hospitalization and death. It can also help slow the spread of the virus. Therefore, if you test positive, notify close contacts as quickly as possible. Don’t wait for a contact tracer as the high volume of positive cases is limiting what the Vermont Department of Health (VDH) can do.

If you wish to remain anonymous, there is an online tool called “Tell Your Contacts” that allows for anonymous e-mail or text notifications.

Who is a close contact Anyone you were within 6 feet of for a combined total of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period. People are still considered a close contact regardless of masking and/or if one or both of you are fully vaccinated.

Determining your Infectious Period: The infectious period is when you can spread the virus to others. It starts two days before you noticed any symptoms or 2 days before the date of the positive test if you had no symptoms. It continues until you have met the following conditions:

If you had symptoms, you can leave home and be with others when all three of these have happened (unless otherwise instructed by your health care provider):

• you have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medicine that reduces fevers, and

• other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved), and

• at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

If you never had symptoms, you can leave home and be with others after 10 days have passed since the date you had your positive test (unless otherwise instructed by your health care provider). 

Who to notify: Use your planner, calendar, social media or photos to help remember who you may have interacted with during your infectious period. Things to consider:

 • People who live with you, may have visited your home or provided some type of home service

• Work with or go to school with

• Gatherings e.g., went to a party, ate at a restaurant, went out for drinks, went to a gym, had a play date, volunteered, chatted with neighbors

• Visited a long term facility such as a nursing home, correctional facility

• Had an in person appointment e.g. medical, dental, hair, massage, accountant 

• Rode with others e.g., carpooling, public transportation

• In store shopping

• Attended church, synagogue, mosque or other places of worship

• Attended a large event (e.g. concert, wedding, funeral)

How to notify your close contacts: If you have their contact information, call, text or email them. If you were somewhere where you could have potentially exposed people you don’t know, call the location and let them know. You may want to familiarize yourself with the state’s what to do if you are a close contact web page as it may be helpful in answering questions, particularly if a contact doesn’t have access to a computer.

What to tell close contacts: Provide this information to your close contacts: the date you got tested, the date you were last in contact with them, the dates when you most likely were infectious and the link to the Vermont  what to do if you are a close contact web page.

Use this example to cut and paste into an email or text message, or to say over the phone: I have something important to share with you. I tested positive for COVID-19 on [insert date]. We spent time together on [insert date]. I wanted to let you know so you can take steps to protect yourself, and to prevent the virus from spreading any further. You can find out what you need to do at What to do if you are a close contact.

For More Information

• Vermont Department of Health Covid-19 page

• Vermont Department of Health What to do if you test positive for Covid-19