What Happens When You Test Positive for Covid? Here’s What You Need to Know
When you test positive for Covid, it is essential to understand that you can pass the virus to others. It’s not always clear how contagious you are at various stages of the illness and when you are no longer a risk to others.
Most studies have focused on earlier variants. But according to Thomas Russo, M.D., an infectious disease expert and professor at the University at Buffalo, there is a lack of data on the circulating variants. However, general guidelines still apply. People tend to be most contagious four days after the onset of symptoms, with the possibility of remaining contagious for up to 10 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Russo emphasizes the continued circulation of Covid along with new variants, suggesting that the virus is likely to remain infectious and transmissible. He also points out that Covid, alongside the flu, is especially threatening during the winter months due to people staying indoors in poorly ventilated spaces, where the virus can spread more easily.
Since Covid continues to evolve and circulate amid different variants, it remains crucial to understand the contagious nature of the virus. People are most infectious in the first five days of symptoms according to Vincent Covelli, M.D., a board-certified infectious disease physician at the telemedicine platform PlushCare.
The CDC guidelines recommend isolating for at least five days after the onset of symptoms and wearing a mask through day 10 for people infected with Covid who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. For those with moderate or severe symptoms, isolation is recommended for at least 10 days and possibly up to 20 days, considering they might be infectious for a longer duration.
According to Dr. Russo, most healthy people are no longer contagious 10 days after testing positive for Covid, although a second rapid at-home COVID test is recommended to confirm negativity. However, he notes that immunocompromised individuals may be contagious for longer periods, requiring isolation for a more extended period.
The circulating variants, such as EG.5 (Eris), FL.1.5.1 (Fornax), and XBB.1.16, are closely related to the original omicron XBB.1.5 variant, suggesting that they could still be transmissible, even to vaccinated individuals. However, the newer variants seem to result in less severe symptoms compared to the original strains.
While the vaccines don’t always prevent Covid infections, they are likely to reduce the duration and severity of symptoms, Dr. Russo suggests. The earlier you get vaccinated, the better your chances of building up immunity and reducing your risk of severe illness from Covid.
In conclusion, staying informed about the contagious nature of Covid and its variants is essential to protect yourself and others and help curb the spread of the virus.
