COVID-19Common question

Researchers estimate that people who get infected with the coronavirus can spread it to others 2 to 3 days before symptoms start and are most contagious 1 to 2 days before they feel sick.

How long does it take for symptoms of COVID-19 to appear after exposure?

Symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

How long do you stay contagious after testing positive for COVID-19?

If someone is asymptomatic or their symptoms go away, it's possible to remain contagious for at least 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. People who are hospitalized with severe disease and people with weakened immune systems can be contagious for 20 days or longer.

What is the incubation period of COVID-19?

Based on existing literature, the incubation period (the time from exposure to development of symptoms) of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses (e.g., MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV) ranges from 2–14 days.

How long do you need to stay home after coming into close contact with someone who has COVID-19?

Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after their last exposure to that person.

When can I be with others if I tested positive for COVID-19 but had no symptoms?

If you continue to have no symptoms, you can be with others after 10 days have passed since you had a positive viral test for COVID-19.

Can children still go to school if parents tested positive for COVID-19?

If you or anyone in your household tests positive, your child should follow your school’s guidance for quarantine. If your child also tests positive, they should not go to school, even if they are not showing symptoms. They should follow your school’s guidance for isolation.

When can I be around others after being mild or moderately sick with COVID-19?

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*

How long do symptoms take to show?

Symptoms may develop 2 days to 2 weeks following exposure to the virus. A pooled analysis of 181 confirmed cases of COVID-19 outside Wuhan, China, found the mean incubation period to be 5.1 days and that 97.5% of individuals who developed symptoms did so within 11.5 days of infection.

What are some of the common symptoms of the COVID-19 disease?

Symptoms may include: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath; fatigue; muscle and body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea.

What should you do if you have been around a person with COVID-19?

For Anyone Who Has Been Around a Person with COVID-19

Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after their last exposure to that person.

When should you start and end quarantine per the CDC's recommendation during the COVID-19 pandemic?

You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.

How long should a child stay home after testing positive for COVID-19?

If your child tests positive, they should still stay home and away from others for 10 days following the date that their symptoms started. This is because people can spread COVID-19 for a full 10 days from when they develop symptoms, even if they are feeling better.

When can i go back to school after testing positive for COVID-19?

The ill student(s) can return to school and end isolation once the following are met:

-10 days out from the start of the symptoms, AND

-Fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication, AND

-Symptoms have improved.

Can my children still go to daycare if they have symptoms of COVID-19?

The best way to prevent the COVID-19 spread is to keep the virus from getting into your child care program in the first place. It is important to communicate to parents, guardians, or caregivers to monitor their children every day for signs of infectious illness including COVID-19. Children who have symptoms of any infectious illness or symptoms of COVID-19 should not attend your child care program. The length of time the child should stay out of child care depends on whether the child has COVID-19 or another illness.

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.

Can you get the COVID-19 from someone who has no symptoms?

Both flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to others by people before they begin showing symptoms; by people with very mild symptoms; and by people who never experience symptoms (asymptomatic people).

When should an employee suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 return to work?

Employees should not return to work until they meet the criteria to discontinue home isolation and have consulted with a healthcare provider. Employers should not require a sick employee to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or healthcare provider's note to return to work.

Who is considered a close contact of someone with COVID-19?

For COVID-19, a close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes). An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting from 2 days before they have any symptoms (or, if they are asymptomatic, 2 days before their specimen that tested positive was collected), until they meet the criteria for discontinuing home isolation.

Who should get tested for COVID-19 after exposure?

Most people who have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.

Should I quarantine if I had been in contact with someone with COVID-19?

Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after their last exposure to that person.

What are some of the medications that I can take to reduce the symptoms of COVID-19?

Acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) can all be used for pain relief from COVID-19 if they are taken in the recommended doses and approved by your doctor.

What are some ways to treat mild COVID-19 illness?

Most people who become sick with COVID-19 will only experience mild illness and can recover at home. Symptoms might last a few days, and people who have the virus might feel better in about a week. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms and includes rest, fluid intake and pain relievers.

Do I need to quarantine after testing negative for the coronavirus disease?

You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.

Should I get tested after a close contact with someone who has COVID-19 if I am fully vaccinated?

• If you've had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don't have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative.