How long could I be contagious before a positive virus test?
4 years, 3 months ago

How long could I be contagious before a positive virus test?

Associated Press  

How long could I be contagious before a positive virus test? In fact, right before developing symptoms is when people are likely the most contagious, said Dr. Werner Bischoff, an infectious disease specialist at Wake Forest University. But there’s a more complicated part to this question: What if someone knows they were exposed but their virus test comes back negative -- could they still be contagious? A negative test within less than seven days after exposure “is a very, very poor indicator of whether you have virus on board,” said Dr. Alan Wells of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. A negative test between seven and 10 days of exposure is a better indicator, Wells said, but even then some people might not test positive until later.

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History of this topic

Here's How To Tell If You're Still Contagious After Being Sick
4 weeks, 2 days ago

Here's How To Tell If You're Still Contagious After Being Sick

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Getting sick leading up to the holidays brings its own set of headaches. Once symptoms start improving overall and the fever has left without the use of fever-reducing drugs — both things must be true for at least a full 24 hours — you are less contagious and can leave your home. Once symptoms start improving overall …

How Long Are You Contagious When You Have COVID?
1 year, 11 months ago

How Long Are You Contagious When You Have COVID?

Huff Post  

Kanawa_Studio via Getty Images Experts discuss the most contagious stage of COVID-19 infection and how long you can spread the virus. But, Ray said, the conventional wisdom is that you are contagious and must isolate for five full days after your symptoms begin — with your first day of symptoms counting as day zero. “It’s often said then that you …

Coronavirus FAQ: Does a faint line on a self-test mean I'm barely contagious?
2 years, 4 months ago

Coronavirus FAQ: Does a faint line on a self-test mean I'm barely contagious?

NPR  

Coronavirus FAQ: Does a faint line on a self-test mean I'm barely contagious? "They're saying to repeat the test after a day or two, but not if your first test is already positive and you're testing to become negative." "If it's been like five days, and the test is negative, then I would feel good about that," says Karan. "If …

I have COVID-19. What happens now? How to manage your symptoms at home
2 years, 8 months ago

I have COVID-19. What happens now? How to manage your symptoms at home

ABC  

You've felt that first tingle of a sore throat. Let your contacts know You'll need to inform people you've recently been in contact with of your positive test, and advise them to monitor their symptoms. Under the national cabinet definition, you are a close contact if you: live in the same house as someone who tests positive spent 4 hours …

Tested positive for COVID? Some people may remain infectious even after 10 days
2 years, 11 months ago

Tested positive for COVID? Some people may remain infectious even after 10 days

India TV News  

One in 10 people may still be infectious and can potentially spread the Covid virus even after the 10 day quarantine period, according to new research. The study, published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, found that 13 per cent of people still exhibited clinically-relevant levels of virus after 10 days, meaning they could potentially still be infectious. "While …

When am I contagious if infected with Omicron?
2 years, 11 months ago

When am I contagious if infected with Omicron?

LA Times  

When am I most contagious if infected with omicron? The answer to this question is not yet clear, but some early data suggests people might become contagious sooner than with earlier variants — possibly within a day after infection. That’s because Omicron appears to cause symptoms faster than previous variants — about three days after infection, on average, according to …

Omicron can make you contagious before you test positive, allowing for rapid spread
2 years, 11 months ago

Omicron can make you contagious before you test positive, allowing for rapid spread

LA Times  

Some health experts are now warning that you can test negative for coronavirus even if you’re infected and contagious while still being visibly healthy. “Omicron does appear to be more infectious, so it might be taking off and actually spreading the first day or two before there’s enough virus in your nose to turn the antigen test positive — or …

When is the best time to get tested after Covid exposure?
3 years ago

When is the best time to get tested after Covid exposure?

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Since the emergence of the new Omicron variant, government guidance has …

Here's When You're Most Infectious With Covid-19, With And Without Symptoms
4 years, 1 month ago

Here's When You're Most Infectious With Covid-19, With And Without Symptoms

Huff Post  

People with Covid-19 are most likely to be highly infectious in the first five days after they develop symptoms, a new study confirms, highlighting the need for abrupt isolation. “Our findings are in line with contact tracing studies which suggest the majority of viral transmission events occur very early, and especially within the first five days after symptom onset, indicating …

How Soon After COVID-19 Exposure Should You Get Tested?
4 years, 3 months ago

How Soon After COVID-19 Exposure Should You Get Tested?

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING So you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19. In one study on false negative rates after COVID-19 exposure, researchers found that in the four days prior to symptom onset, the probability of a false negative was extremely high on day one. As MIT Medical explains on their COVID-19 page: For example, it’s not a good …

Fact check: Are you immune from the coronavirus if you’ve already had it?
4 years, 5 months ago

Fact check: Are you immune from the coronavirus if you’ve already had it?

CNN  

Washington CNN — Months into the coronavirus pandemic, much about the disease remains unknown. While discussing who would likely get a vaccine when one is available, Paul said that “there’s millions of us like me now who are immune – are they going to hold me down and stick a needle in my arm?” Earlier, Paul also claimed that “since …

Coronavirus Outbreak: How long can you be infectious once you get infected?
4 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus Outbreak: How long can you be infectious once you get infected?

Firstpost  

The incubation period for coronavirus is the time between someone being exposed to the virus and the onset of symptoms. For COVID-19, there is emerging evidence to suggest the infectious period may start 1 to 3 days before you develop symptoms. However, severe cases have much higher viral loads and many continue to test positive beyond the 10 days after …

Can those who test negative still spread COVID-19?
4 years, 9 months ago

Can those who test negative still spread COVID-19?

Firstpost  

Asymptomatic carriers may be more than previously imagined, and they may be responsible for ‘viral shedding’ and disease transmission. There is mounting evidence for some unsettling COVID-19 findings; asymptomatic carriers may be more than previously imagined, and they may be responsible for ‘viral shedding’ and disease transmission. A study published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and …

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