COVID-19Common question

How long does it take for the COVID-19 to be infectious?

Get tested 3-5 days after their first exposure. A person with COVID-19 is considered infectious starting 2 days before they develop symptoms, or 2 days before the date of their positive test if they do not have symptoms.

When are people who had COVID-19 no longer contagious?

You can be around others after: 10 days since symptoms first appeared and. 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and. Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving*

*Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation​

How long can you spread COVID-19 after testing positive?

People with COVID-19 can spread the virus to other people for 10 days after they develop symptoms, or 10 days from the date of their positive test if they do not have symptoms. The person with COVID-19 and all members of the household should wear a well-fitted mask and consistently, inside the home.

When should I end isolation after a positive COVID-19 test?

Isolation and precautions can be discontinued 10 days after the first positive viral test.

How long should I stay in home isolation if I have COVID-19?

People who are severely ill with COVID-19 might need to stay home longer than 10 days and up to 20 days after symptoms first appeared. People with weakened immune systems may require testing to determine when they can be around others. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information.

40 related questions found

How long does it take to recover from COVID-19?

Fortunately, people who have mild to moderate symptoms typically recover in a few days or weeks.

Do I need to self-quarantine after recovering from COVID-19?

• People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last three months and recovered do not have to quarantine or get tested again as long as they do not develop new symptoms.

What to do if you test positive for COVID-19 on a home test?

If your COVID-19 test is positive, tell a healthcare provider about your positive result and stay in contact with them during your illness. To avoid spreading the virus to others, follow CDC's guidance for isolation.

Am I infectious if I have a positive COVID-19 test result?

These people who have a positive test result should be considered infectious and remain isolated until they again meet criteria for discontinuation of isolation or of transmission-based precautions. Contact tracing during the person's second episode of symptoms is warranted.

When can you be around others after being severely ill with COVID-19?

People who are severely ill with COVID-19 might need to stay home longer than 10 days and up to 20 days after symptoms first appeared.

Are recovered persons with persistent positive test of COVID-19 infectious to others?

Persons who have tested persistently or recurrently positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA have, in some cases, had their signs and symptoms of COVID-19 improve. When viral isolation in tissue culture has been attempted in such persons in South Korea and the United States, live virus has not been isolated. There is no evidence to date that clinically recovered persons with persistent or recurrent detection of viral RNA have transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to others.

Despite these observations, it’s not possible to conclude that all persons with persistent or recurrent detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA are no longer infectious. There is no firm evidence that the antibodies that develop in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection are protective. If these antibodies are protective, it’s not known what antibody levels are needed to protect against reinfection.

What should a person who recovered from COVID-19 do when they are exposed to it again, according to the CDC?

The following applies to a person who has clinically recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection that was confirmed with a viral diagnostic test and then, within 3 months since the date of symptom onset of the previous illness episode (or date of positive viral diagnostic test if the person never experienced symptoms), is identified as a contact of a new case. If the person remains asymptomatic since the new exposure, then they do not need to be retested for SARS-CoV-2 and do not need to be quarantined. However, if the person experiences new symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and an evaluation fails to identify a diagnosis other than SARS-CoV-2 infection (e.g., influenza), then repeat viral diagnostic testing may be warranted, in consultation with an infectious disease specialist and public health authorities for isolation guidance.

How long can long Covid last?

The medical community has been aware that while most people recover from COVID-19 within a matter of weeks, some will experience lingering symptoms for 4 or more weeks after developing COVID-19. Until now, there has not been a formal definition for this condition.

Do I need to quarantine for COVID-19 after a positive screening test?

If a person tests positive on a screening test and is referred for a confirmatory test, they should quarantine until they receive the results of their confirmatory test. For guidance on quarantine and testing of fully vaccinated people, please visit Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.

What should I do when I get COVID-19 test result?

• If you test positive, know what protective steps to take to prevent others from getting sick.
• If you test negative, you probably were not infected at the time your sample was collected. The test result only means that you did not have COVID-19 at the time of testing. Continue to take steps to protect yourself.

Can you recover at home if you have a mild case of COVID-19?

Most people have mild illness and are able to recover at home.

What should be done if the COVID-19 antigen test result is positive?

In a community setting, when testing a person who has symptoms compatible with COVID-19, the healthcare provider generally can interpret a positive antigen test to indicate that the person is infected with SARS-CoV-2; this person should follow CDC's guidance for isolation. However, if the person who has received a positive antigen test result is fully vaccinated, the healthcare provider should inform the public health authorities. Ideally, a separate specimen would be collected and sent to a laboratory for viral sequencing for public health purposes.

Should I isolate and get tested if I have recovered from COVID-19 but I have symptoms again?

If a previously infected person experiences new symptoms consistent with COVID-19 3 months or more after the date of the previous illness onset (or date of last positive viral diagnostic test [RT-PCR or antigen test] if the person never experienced symptoms), the person should undergo repeat viral diagnostic testing. However, serologic testing should not be used to establish the presence or absence of SARS-COV-2 infection or reinfection. These people who have a positive test result should be considered infectious and remain isolated until they again meet criteria for discontinuation of isolation or of transmission-based precautions. Contact tracing during the person’s second episode of symptoms is warranted.

Can patients who have recovered from COVID-19 continue to have detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory specimens?

• Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 can continue to have detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory specimens for up to 3 months after illness onset in concentrations considerably lower than during illness; however, replication-competent virus has not been reliably recovered and infectiousness is unlikely.

When to end quarantine for COVID-19?

Your local public health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last, based on local conditions and needs. Follow the recommendations of your local public health department if you need to quarantine. Options they will consider include stopping quarantine

After day 10 without testing
After day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later)

How long can a patient still feel the effects of COVID-19 after recovery?

Older people and people with many serious medical conditions are the most likely to experience lingering COVID-19 symptoms, but even young, otherwise healthy people can feel unwell for weeks to months after infection.

Are three weeks enough to recover from COVID-19?

The CDC survey found that one-third of these adults had not returned to normal health within two to three weeks of testing positive for COVID-19.

What are some symptoms of COVID-19 long haulers?

Those individuals are often referred to as “COVID long-haulers” and have a condition called COVID-19 syndrome or “long COVID.” For COVID long-haulers, persistent symptoms often include brain fog, fatigue, headaches, dizziness and shortness of breath, among others.

What is long COVID syndrome?

Long COVID or post-COVID-19 are umbrella terms that refer to COVID-19 symptoms that persist beyond the initial phase of a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Can COVID-19 leave lingering symptoms?

Older people and people with many serious medical conditions are the most likely to experience lingering COVID-19 symptoms, but even young, otherwise healthy people can feel unwell for weeks to months after infection.