Sandhu, the omicron variant is highly transmissible, and the best protection continues to be vaccination. The best protection against infection According to Dr. However, one person's infectious period can differ from another's and the virus can still be spread whether they develop symptoms or not. How long is someone contagious? The current data we have available show patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 are much less likely to be infectious by 5 days after infection and very unlikely to be infectious by 10 days after infection. Washing your hands frequently and wearing masks is also recommended. If someone you live with tests positive, they should remain isolated from everyone else in the household as much as possible - especially during that early, most contagious period. The omicron variant and its subvariants are highly transmissible and thought to be even more contagious than previous variants. When is a person most contagious? People are most contagious early in their infection, especially from 1 to 2 days before symptom onset and 3 to 4 days afterward. So, if you test negative with an at-home test, it is recommended to follow it up with a PCR test to confirm you’re in the clear. Test specificity indicates the ability of the test to correctly identify patients that do not have the virus. Test sensitivity is how well it can identify coronavirus infections. It’s important to note that these tests have a low sensitivity but high specificity.

You can take an at-home rapid antigen test if you have access to one. If you were exposed, whether you have symptoms are not, you should get tested. Yet, if they have been exposed, they could still be contagious and should follow the same protocol. Sometimes a person may not experience symptoms at all. This is why it’s so important to quarantine if you think you were exposed to COVID-19 and get tested 5 days after exposure or 1 to 2 days after symptom onset. Once exposed, how long does it take to be contagious? A person with COVID-19 may be contagious 48 hours before starting to experience symptoms. Typically, symptoms are worse in the first 3 to 4 days and then tend to decrease thereafter. Both the severity and duration of symptoms vary from person to person depending on an individual's immune response. However, it sometimes takes longer - up to 14 days - so it is recommended you wear a mask and minimize close contact with others for at least 10 days after the last day of exposure. When do symptoms start after being exposed to COVID-19? If you do experience symptoms, they will usually appear 2 to 6 days after exposure to the virus.

Jyotu Sandhu, a board-certified family medicine doctor with Sharp Rees-Stealy, provides answers to your top 4 COVID-19 questions: From how long it takes to develop symptoms once exposed, to when an infected person is no longer contagious, information can be overwhelming and confusing.ĭr. With the latest COVID-19 surge due to the new omicron variant, it’s hard to keep the facts straight, especially as they relate to timelines.

Minor covid symptoms timeline