COVID-19 Resource Guide

Overview

2-1-1 Colorado streamlines services and provides one central location where people can get connected to the resources they need. Whether you are searching for a shelter availability, childcare, or rent payment assistance – 2-1-1 can connect you to available resources in your community. 

The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) wants you to know that there are resources available to help if you test positive for COVID-19. If you have questions about these resources, please contact (720) 865-5767. Below you’ll find resources on isolation and quarantine guidance.

Reporting Cases

All positive test results for rapid point-of-care COVID-19 tests must be reported to public health. COVID-19 results are required to be reported in 4 working days. At home tests or self-administered home tests are not required to be reported; however, if a provider is made aware of a positive at home test, that must be reported to public health. 

Case Definitions:

1. Confirmed: Case who has a positive molecular amplification test (such as a PCR) from a clinical respiratory specimen performed by a

   Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified provider.

2. Probable: Has tested positive using an antigen test in a clinical specimen performed by a CLIA-certified provider.

3. Suspect: Someone with no recent prior history of being a confirmed or probable case who has tested positive for specific antigen using a test performed without CLIA oversight (these are usually at home tests). 

COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Guidance 

Isolation Guidance

Isolation is used to separate people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from those without COVID-19.

While you are under isolation:

• Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.
• Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible.
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
• Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible.
• Avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.
• Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
• Wear a well-fitting mask when you need to be around other people.

This includes:

• People who have a positive viral test for COVID-19, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms.
• People with symptoms of COVID-19, including people who are awaiting test results or have not been tested. People with symptoms should isolate even if they do not know if they have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19.

Completing isolation:

If you had COVID-19 and had symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days.  

• After 5 days you may end isolation IF:
  • You have no fever for 24 hours without the use of medication, AND
  • Your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms
• After you have finished isolating, you should continue to wear a well-fitting mask through day 10.
• If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.
• If you had moderate illness (if you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing) or severe illness (you were hospitalized due to COVID-19 or have a weakened immune system), you should isolate for 10 days.
• If your child is under 2 years old or can’t or won’t wear a mask, they should isolate for 10 days.
• Loss of taste or smell may persist after recovery and does not need to delay the end of isolation.  
• You should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for 5 additional days (day 6 through day 10) after the end of your 5-day isolation period. If you are unable to wear a mask when around others, you should continue to isolate for a full 10 days.
• Avoid people who have weakened immune systems or are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, and nursing homes and other high-risk settings, until after at least 10 days..
• Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask, such as restaurants and some gyms, and avoid eating around others at home and at work until a full 10 days after your first day of symptoms.
• See additional information about travel

Quarantine Guidance

As of Aug. 11, 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no longer recommends quarantine for people who have been exposed to COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status. However, CDC recommends that people who have been exposed still take precautions to protect others, such as masking around others for 10 days and getting tested five days after exposure.

Quarantine in high-risk congregate settings

COVID-19 Isolation is in effect under the following conditions, regardless of vaccination status: 

• Stay home for 5 days after your symptom onset date (or test collection date if you had no symptoms).
• After 5 days, you can leave your house if you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving.
• Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
• If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.

• When counting days, “day 0” is the day of symptom onset or test collection. 

Note: A negative COVID-19 test is NOT required nor advised to end isolation when the above conditions are met. If a negative COVID-19 test is received after a positive test, the full isolation period from the positive test or symptom onset must be completed prior to resuming routine activities.  

People who are severely ill with COVID-19 (including those who were hospitalized or required intensive care or ventilation support) and people with compromised immune systems might need to isolate at home longer than 5 days. CDC recommends an isolation period of at least 10 and up to 20 days for people who were severely ill with COVID-19 and for people who are immunocompromised. Consult with your healthcare provider about when you can resume being around other people. 

Health care workers should follow their employer’s return to work requirements, which may indicate returning to work sooner, if additional safety measures are taken.

People who live or work in residential or congregate living settings should continue to follow the isolation and quarantine guidance for their setting to mitigate the risk of transmission within the facility. 

Long COVID/Post COVID Conditions

• Some people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as post-COVID conditions (PCC) or long COVID.
• What You Need to Know
  • Post-COVID conditions can include a wide range of ongoing health problems; these conditions can last weeks, months, or years.
  • Post-COVID conditions are found more often in people who had severe COVID-19 illness, but anyone who has been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience post-COVID conditions, even people who had mild illness or no symptoms from COVID-19.
  • People who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 and become infected may also be at higher risk of developing post-COVID conditions compared to people who were vaccinated and had breakthrough infections.
  • There is no single test for post-COVID conditions. While most people with post-COVID conditions have evidence of infection or COVID-19 illness, in some cases, a person with post-COVID conditions may not have tested positive for the virus or known they were infected.
  • CDC and partners are working to understand more about who experiences post-COVID conditions and why, including whether groups disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 are at higher risk.
• As of July 2021, “long COVID,” also known as post-COVID conditions, can be considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Learn more: Guidance on “Long COVID” as a Disability Under the ADA, Section 504, and Section 1557
• In Denver, the National Jewish Center for Post-COVID Care and Recovery is a multidisciplinary clinic that can help patients recover from long COVID: https://www.nationaljewish.org/directory/center-for-post-covid-care-and-recovery
• For further information about long COVID, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html

Testing and Treatment

Testing

There are many free community and pharmacy-based testing sites across Colorado that provide PCR test results within two days. Making an appointment is easy, and many free community testing sites do not require insurance or ID. Additional information is available on the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) Testing site.  

Who should get tested?

• Anyone who wants a test should get one. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, which can feel like a cold, you should get tested as soon as possible, even if you’re fully vaccinated. Follow instructions on how to isolate until you feel better.
• If you have been around someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested five days after you were exposed, even if you’ve received all recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. If you are unvaccinated (or if you are due for a follow-up/booster dose and haven’t gotten one yet) and were exposed to someone with COVID-19, follow instructions on how to quarantine.

Note: A negative COVID-19 test is NOT required NOR advised to end isolation when the above conditions are met. If a negative COVID-19 test is received after a positive test within the 10-day period of isolation, the full isolation period from the positive test or symptom onset must be completed prior to resuming routine activities. You may continue to test positive for up to 90 days after your initial test, even after you are no longer infectious and meet the criteria to leave isolation.

Free COVID-19 Tests Available at Denver Recreation Centers

• COVID-19 tests will be available for pick up during regular operating hours at all Denver Recreation Centers (except for La Alma, which is currently closed). Each test kit contains two tests and residents are eligible to receive up to two free test kits while supplies last.

• The free tests are iHealth Labs over-the-counter COVID-19 Antigen rapid tests. They take 15 minutes to provide a result and instructions are included on the box in English and available online in Spanish. Once a test result is available, an individual should review these instructions on how to interpret and report the results.

Treatment

If you test positive or think you might have COVID-19, you may be able to get treatment to help you recover. Treatment works best if it’s taken within a few days of when you first got sick. It’s important to seek treatment fast to lower your risk of serious illness.

If you have mild to moderate symptoms and your symptoms began within the past few days, call your doctor or health care provider as soon as you can to ask about treatment. If you do not have a provider or health insurance, you can find a place to get treatment using CDPHE’s treatment map.

Types of treatment

There are different types of treatments available in Colorado. Some treatments are given as infusions, either through an IV or through injections (like a vaccine). Other treatments are pills you take by mouth. 

Antivirals

• Antivirals are medicines that can help treat COVID-19. They are usually pills, but some antiviral medicine is given as an IV infusion. 

  1. Paxlovid
     • Paxlovid is a pill for people who have mild or moderate COVID-19 symptoms and are at high risk of getting very sick. People age 12 years or older who weigh at least 40 kilograms (about 88 pounds) can take Paxlovid. It is available by prescription only. 
     • People who are eligible for Paxlovid should receive it as soon as possible after they have been diagnosed with COVID-19, starting within five days of their first symptoms.
  2. Molnupiravir
     • Molnupiravir is a pill for people who have tested positive for COVID-19, are at high risk of getting very sick, and cannot receive other COVID-19 treatments. Only adults age 18 years and older can take molnupiravir. Molnupiravir is available by prescription only. 
     • People who are eligible for molnupiravir should receive it as soon as possible after they have been diagnosed with COVID-19, starting within five days of their first symptoms. 
     • Pregnant people should not take molnupiravir. People who may become pregnant should use effective birth control while they are receiving the treatment and for four days after their last dose.
     • Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking molnupiravir. If you are lactating while taking this treatment, you should pump and discard your breast milk until four days have passed since your last dose.
  3. Remdesivir
     • Remdesivir (Veklury) is an IV infusion for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk of getting very sick. Some people who are in the hospital for COVID-19 can also receive remdesivir. Remdesivir can be given to patients of all ages, including adults and children as young as 28 days old who weigh at least 3 kilograms (about 7 pounds).
     • People who are eligible for remdesivir should receive it as soon as possible after they have been diagnosed with COVID-19, starting within seven days of their first symptoms.

For more information about COVID treatment, and for maps to see where to find these treatments, you can visit https://covid19.colorado.gov/getting-covid-19-treatment

Resources

2-1-1 Colorado streamlines services and provides one central location where people can get connected to the resources they need. Whether you are searching for a shelter availability, childcare, or rent payment assistance – 2-1-1 can connect you to available resources in your community. 

When you have COVID-19, you may need some help. DDPHE has included a list of resources available to those who live and work in Denver.

Travel

• Do not travel until a full 5 days after your last close contact with the person with COVID-19. It is best to avoid travel for a full 10 days after your last exposure.
• Do not travel until a full 10 days after your symptoms started or the date your positive test was taken if you had no symptoms.
• As of June 12, 2022, CDC no longer requires air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight.
• For country-specific travel requirements related to COVID-19, visit the Department of State website. 

Popular COVID-19 Questions

Do you have questions about COVID-19 or vaccines? Resources are available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website and we have included some of the most popular frequently asked questions below. Plus, if you have weakened immune system, additional information about how to isolate and quarantine is available.

COVID-19 Exposure Information