For most people, stay home and away from others while respiratory-virus symptoms are not improving and are not better explained by another cause. You can resume normal activities after, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms have improved overall and you have had no fever without taking fever-reducing medicine. Take extra precautions for the next five days.
When to stay home—and when you can return
CDC guidance covers symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose and headache when another cause does not better explain them. While symptoms are not improving, stay home and away from others, including household members who are not sick.
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Use both return conditions below for a full 24 hours:
- Your symptoms are improving overall.
- You have had no fever without using fever-reducing medication.
You do not have to wait until every symptom disappears. This is general U.S. public-health guidance for resuming normal activities, not a ruling on your employer’s leave policy. See the CDC’s guidance on preventing spread of respiratory viruses when sick.
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What to do after returning to work
Resuming activities does not mean transmission risk is gone. For the next five days, CDC recommends added precautions, especially around people at higher risk of severe illness. Options include:
- Wearing a well-fitted mask, such as a well-fitting KN95.
- Improving airflow or choosing cleaner air.
- Keeping distance from others where practical.
- Practicing good hygiene, including washing hands or using alcohol-based hand rub.
- Testing when around other people.
Masks and testing are possible precautions, not prerequisites for routine return under this general guidance. CDC does not endorse a particular mask model or test on the cited page.
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If symptoms return or get worse
If you develop a fever or your symptoms worsen after returning, stay home and away from others again. Resume activities only after both 24-hour return conditions are met again: symptoms are improving overall, and you have been fever-free without fever-reducing medication for at least 24 hours.
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General public guidance is not the complete rule set for healthcare settings. Under CDC healthcare personnel guidance dated Sept. 11, 2026, workers with a suspected or confirmed viral respiratory infection covered by that section should be restricted from work until all of these apply:
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- At least three days have passed since symptom onset, or since the first positive test if the person remains asymptomatic.
- They have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
- Symptoms are improving.
- They feel well enough to return.
For this calculation, symptom onset or the first positive test is day zero. Upon returning, source control is recommended through at least the end of day seven. The guidance excludes pathogens covered in other sections or separate interim guidance, so healthcare workers should follow their infection-control or occupational-health instructions. Read the CDC healthcare personnel guidance for viral respiratory infections.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Workplace policies and urgent symptoms
CDC recommends that organizations encourage sick workers to stay home and support this with paid time off, flexible leave or telework policies. NIOSH also says better building ventilation can reduce exposure risk. These are prevention recommendations, not a guarantee of a particular worker’s legal entitlement. CDC’s flu-prevention guidance likewise advises staying home from work, school and errands when sick if possible, and lists tissues, soap, paper towels, alcohol-based hand rub and disposable wipes as workplace supplies.
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If you have severe symptoms or are at higher risk of complications, contact a healthcare professional. Difficulty breathing or chest pain warrants urgent medical care.
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