COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
(Click on the question below to view the answer/response.)
Close Contacts
A close contact is anyone who, during the infectious period:
- lived with or was within two metres of a person who has COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more of cumulative contact, i.e multiple interactions for a total of 15 minutes or more, even if a mask was worn during that contact, or
- has had direct contact with bodily fluids of a person who has COVID-19 (e.g., was coughed or sneezed on), or
- provided direct care for a person who has COVID-19, or
- has physical contact with a person who has COVID-19, such as handshake, hugging, kissing, or sexual activity, or
- shares items with a person who has COVID-19 such as drinks, personal hygiene items, cigarettes, vapes, lipstick, eating utensils, etc.
For sports that involve close, sustained or intermittent and repeated contact, all members of the teams playing each other are considered close contacts when there is a case on a team.
Anyone who falls into any of the above categories is considered a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19. Wearing a non-medical mask is not sufficient to exempt you from being considered a close contact.
Consistent and appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by regulated health care professionals must be assessed to determine if the individual had adequate protection from a potential COVID-19 exposure.
Please contact the event organizer. You can work with the event organizer to support the event organizer in notifying other people who attended the event at same time as you. For events with 10 or more individuals the organizer or instructor will notify contacts.
Your close contacts are anyone who you were in close contact with (see the above definition) during your infectious period, which is the time that you can spread COVID-19 to others. Your infectious period is different if you have symptoms or not.
For a person with COVID-19 who has symptoms, the infectious period is 48 hours before the start of until 10 days after the start of their symptoms. For some people this may be longer. See Isolation and Quarantine for more information.
For a person with COVID-19 who had no symptoms when they were tested, the infectious period is 48 hours before they had their test done, to 10 days after the date of their test (if they remain symptom free). If the person develops symptoms after having their test, they are infectious to others for the duration of their symptoms. For most people, this is until 10 days after the start of their symptoms.
Isolation and Quarantine
- Isolation generally ends 10 days after your symptoms start, UNLESS you still feel sick. If you feel sick you need to continue to isolate. Your continued isolation past 10 days can end when you have gone 24 hours without a fever, without taking fever-reducing medications (e.g. Advil or Tylenol), AND your other symptoms have improved. Some symptoms such as fatigue and cough may last longer than 10 days, but do not require a longer isolation.
- If you never develop symptoms, your isolation period ends 10 days after the date when your first positive COVID-19 swab was taken.
- If you’ve been told by a health care provider that you have a weak immune system or you are immunocompromised, or you have been hospitalized for severe COVID-19, your isolation will usually end 14 days after your symptoms start as long as you have not had a fever within the last 24 hours, without taking fever-reducing medications, AND your other symptoms have improved.
- If your fever continues past 14 days or your COVID-19 symptoms are getting worse call your health care provider or 811.
- For a medical emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department and tell them that you tested positive for COVID-19.
- If you are a close contact of a person with COVID-19 you are legally required to quarantine for 14 days from the time you were last exposed
- If you have returned from travel outside of Canada you are legally required to quarantine for 14 days
- You must complete your 14 day quarantine, even if you receive a negative COVID-19 test result.
- If you develop symptoms during your quarantine period, receive a positive COVID-19 test result, or have an additional exposure to someone with COVID-19 your quarantine may be extended.
Yes, you must continue to quarantine until 14 days after the last exposure to the case. The requirement for quarantine for close contacts or returned travelers applies regardless of any testing results. The only exception is if you are participating in the International Border Pilot Project where there are specific instructions for testing and quarantine.
No, you do not need to quarantine as long as the person who is a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case does not develop symptoms or has not tested positive for COVID-19.
If the person who is a close contact develops symptoms, you and the other members of the household are required to quarantine for 14 days.
- Follow How to Isolate and Quarantine.
- The person who is a close contact should be tested for COVID-19. Please visit ahs.ca/testing for more information and to book a test or contact Stoney Health Services (403-881-3920).
- If the person who is a close contact tests negative for COVID-19, the other household members are not required to quarantine as long as they themselves do not develop symptoms.
If the person who is a close contact tests positive for COVID-19, the other household members are required to quarantine for 14 days.
No, the State of Local Emergency, declared by Nakoda Emergency Management on January 11, 2021, remains in effect. As long as the order continues, home visits and gatherings of any type are prohibited. This is regardless of COVID-19 status.