COVID-19 Questions and Answers

The Phillips County Health Department shared this informational piece with answers to some commonly asked questions via social media. As not all of our county residents are “plugged in”, the PCN received permission to also publish this important information here.

1) If I'm quarantined/isolated, should I still be getting paid?

-It depends. The FFCRA requires employers to provide paid leave up to 80 hours for COVID-19 related reasons. You can view more information here: https://www.dol.gov/.../pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave. If you do not qualify (for example, you've met your 80 hours), you can also apply for unemployment through the State of MT here: http://uid.dli.mt.gov/.

2) What happens if I test positive for COVID-19?

-If someone tests positive for COVID-19, they will be contacted by public health and mandated to isolate themselves for at least 10 days from symptom onset or test date (or longer, depending on symptoms). A patient interview will also be conducted by public health, and all direct contacts will be notified.

3) Am I a direct contact? If so, what do I do?

-A direct contact is anyone who was within 6 ft. of a positive COVID-19 case for a total of 15 minutes or more, within 2 days before the person has had any symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19. If you are listed as a direct contact from the positive case interview, you will be notified by public health, mandated to quarantine for 10 days from the last day of exposure (and no symptoms developed), and testing can be arranged.

4) I am sick!!!!????

-If you're sick with symptoms of COVID-19, Phillips County Health Department can arrange testing for COVID-19 with a healthcare facility. We do not do testing at PCHD. You can also call your healthcare provider to make an appointment or arrange testing there. If you need URGENT care, visit an emergency room and make sure you call ahead. Also, please make sure you are staying home and isolating yourself from others for the duration of your illness.

5) I was mandated to quarantine, but my test came back negative, so can I go back to school/work?

-No, you can only go back to school/work after your 14 day quarantine is up. The reasoning is because you could become symptomatic at any time during those 14 days. So say you test on day 5 and your results are negative. Well, day 11 you could come down with a fever, test again, and the results are positive. So it's important to wait out the entire 14 days.

6) I tested positive and isolated for 10 days. Do I need a negative test before I can go back to school/work?

-No. A person is typically only infectious for 10 days from onset of symptoms, hence the 10 day isolation period. However, a person can still test positive for WEEKS after their isolation period, but they are not infectious anymore. So we don't do a repeat test.

7) My employer/school is requesting an excusal letter because I was home due to COVID-19. Can public health provide that?

-Yes, only if you were mandated to stay home by public health or if the person you are caring for (children) was mandated to stay home by public health. If your employer made you stay home because you are sick, or you decide to stay home because you're sick, we aren't able to provide an excusal if it isn't mandated by our office.

8) I got tested 3 days ago, why don't I have my results?

-Ahhhh . . . patience is a virtue!!! Trust me, we get just as frustrated as you do! Typically we get results in 24-48 hours, but sometimes the State Laboratory gets overwhelmed and it might take an extra day or so. Or maybe you were tested on a Friday and the weekend caused some delays. Rest assured, if you are positive, you will be called as soon as we get your results. If you were negative and your referral was from PCHD, you will get called as soon as we get your results.

9) When is the best time to get tested for COVID-19 after an exposure?

-About 5 days after an exposure is the golden ticket (for asymptomatic contacts). Any sooner it's likely you could get a false negative. If you're showing symptoms, the best time to get tested is about 2-3 days after symptoms have started.

10) If I'm quarantined because I'm a direct contact, do my household members also have to quarantine?

-No, only direct contacts have to quarantine. However, if you become symptomatic and/or test positive for COVID-19, your household contacts would then be quarantined (they become YOUR direct contacts).

11) Where can I get an antibody test?

Antibody tests for COVID-19 are available through healthcare providers and laboratories. Check with your healthcare provider to see if they offer antibody tests and whether you should get one. We have heard that Red Cross Blood Drives also provide antibody testing at additional cost, so maybe check with them.

Hope this helps!

-Phillips County Health Department