What is the recommended strategy for activity in the first few days post-isolation?

Deliberately pace activity and take significantly longer breaks than usual

Even after meeting the criteria to end isolation and being technically no longer contagious, the body’s underlying reserves remain significantly depleted, especially following a systemic viral infection. Rushing back into pre-illness activity levels—such as a full workload or strenuous physical exertion—is counterproductive and frequently leads to a setback or symptom flare-up, effectively lengthening the total recovery timeline. The recommended approach is deliberate pacing. This means structuring the initial post-isolation week as a gradual reintroduction to stress, requiring individuals to commit to taking breaks that are substantially longer and more frequent than normal, thereby allowing the residual exhaustion and potential lingering symptoms like headaches or troubled breathing to resolve naturally without triggering a relapse.