Anyone who may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 should test four to five days after their suspected exposure or as soon as symptoms appear according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If symptoms develop, you should immediately isolate yourself until a negative test establishes that the symptoms are not due to COVID-19.
- Incubation times are changing, but people who tested early after exposure should continue testing even if their results are negative.
- If you are experiencing symptoms, you should test right away. However, if you test after two days of exposure, and it is negative, you should retest.
Symptoms, such as a scratchy throat, headaches, and several other symptoms should not be ignored; anything new could be an indication of COVID-19.
When do COVID-19 symptoms show up?
COVID-19 symptoms can occur anywhere from 2 to 14 days after you are exposed to the virus according to the previous Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.
COVID-19 should be checked for anyone who has symptoms. Even if some people never show symptoms, they can still spread the infection. Before symptoms show, a person is considered contagious.
How long should you isolate or quarantine?
The number of days varies based on different factors. Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-suggested guidelines.
- If you are not vaccinated and suspect you have come into contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should quarantine yourself. If you test positive, regardless of your immunization status, you must isolate.
- If you are unvaccinated or more than six months away from your second vaccine dose, have been within six feet of someone with COVID-19 for a cumulative total of at least 15 minutes over 24 hours, you should quarantine for at least five days.
- After five days, kids should continue to utilize the mask for another five days.
- If you are not completely vaccinated and came into close contact with an infected individual, you should stay at home for at least 10 days.
- If you are completely vaccinated (defined by the CDC as two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine), you might be excused from quarantine.
- If you are completely vaccinated and boosted and close in contact with someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine, but you should wear a mask for at least 10 days following exposure. The same is true for those who have been completely vaccinated but have not yet had their booster injection.
However, local health authorities can make the final decision on how long a quarantine should last. Regular testing can help as well.
The CDC recently announced that anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should stay at home for five days instead of the previously suggested 10 days.
If you have no symptoms after the period, you can resume normal activities, but you must wear a mask for at least five additional days, even at home around others.
If your symptoms persist after five days of isolation, stay at home until you feel better. Then, for additional five days, always wear a mask.
When are patients with COVID-19 most contagious?
The guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were amended to reflect new information that suggests COVID-19 transmission occurs one to two days before symptoms appear and for two to three days afterward.
The CDC statistics indicated that after seven days, there is minimal danger of transmission, and it depends on whether people have been vaccinated, underlying diseases, etc. The risk lowers further during days five to seven.
If COVID-19 precautions are followed, such as getting vaccinated or wearing marks, the risk of transmission is extremely low.
Those who do not have symptoms are considered contagious at least two days before a positive test according to CDC guidelines.
When should you consult a physician?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises people who have or may have COVID-19 to look for emergency warning signs and get medical help right away if they encounter symptoms, such as:
More Health News »Harvard Health Publishing. If you've been exposed to the coronavirus. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/if-youve-been-exposed-to-the-coronavirus
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html
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