Here's How Long COVID Is Contagious After You Get a Positive Test

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If you test positive for COVID-19, learn that a loved one has been infected or find out you’ve been exposed to someone with the virus, you undoubtedly have lots of questions. The one that probably tops the list is “How long is coronavirus contagious?”

The answer is a little complicated, though, and the answer has changed quite a bit over the years. All scientists know for sure is that COVID is highly contagious. It’s most likely spread from person to person via the respiratory droplets produced when someone infected with the virus coughs, sneezes, or talks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The droplets may be inhaled or land in the mouths or noses of someone nearby and could infect them. That’s why health officials continue to emphasize wearing masks, avoiding large groups, and social distancing.

But if you do get COVID, how long are you contagious? We asked doctors to explain what we know so far.

How Long Is Coronavirus Contagious?

When it comes to understanding the contagiousness of coronavirus, symptoms matter most, rather than when you test positive, says Neha Vyas, a family medicine physician at the Cleveland Clinic.

Someone is likely most contagious from 48 hours before developing symptoms to three days after the last symptoms end. “We typically do not use a positive test because some people remain positive on their testing for quite some time after their symptoms go away,” she says.

Vyas says it’s believed that someone can be contagious for about 14 days after being exposed to someone with the virus, and symptoms can appear any time in that timeframe.

The CDC suggests you can be around other people after 10 days since your symptoms first appeared, you’ve had 24 hours of no fever without using a fever-reducing medication, and other COVID-19 symptoms are getting better.

Related: How Long Does Coronavirus Last?

Positive Without Symptoms? You're Still Contagious

People tend to be most contagious early in the course of their illness when they’re first developing symptoms, says Dr. Tista Ghosh, MD, an epidemiologist and medical director at digital health care company Grand Rounds. But what if you don’t experience any symptoms?

“With people who test positive for the virus but never develop symptoms, it's a little trickier in terms of how long they're contagious,” she says. People without symptoms can still spread the virus to others, who may experience symptoms.

Research suggests that about 25% of people infected with COVID may be asymptomatic. So, assuming that you’re positive and contagious, especially if you’re going to be around other people, is a good rule to follow, Ghosh says.

“In that case, wear a mask, make sure to stay distanced from other people, follow good hand hygiene and carry hand sanitizer with you,” she says. “Do the kinds of things that you would hope other people would do for you if they were carrying an illness. I like to just assume that I'm contagious, and then be really cautious about maintaining my distance from others and wearing a mask because who knows?”

Related: How to Properly Clean Your Face Mask

Are People With Lingering Symptoms Still Contagious?

For some people, COVID-19 symptoms persist for several weeks. A CDC report published in July found that 35% of people who tested positive and had symptoms said they had not reverted back to their usual health state after two to three weeks. About 20% of 18- to 34-year-olds with no chronic conditions said the same.

“Sometimes people with underlying medical conditions develop this lengthy recovery phase, but not always,” Vyas says. “We’re still learning about why this occurs in some people, so ask your doctor if you have any concerns.”

It’s believed that these so-called “long haulers” are likely not contagious after the CDC’s recommended 10-day period, Ghosh says.

“They've killed the virus, but it just triggered an autoimmune or some sort of unusual response that's causing longer-term symptoms,” she says. “And, we don't know how long those will last at this point. They could turn into chronic illnesses.”

Related: Everything You Need to Know About a Possible COVID-19 Vaccine

Fatigue, coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and diarrhea are some of the symptoms that may linger, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Loss of taste and smell is a common symptom of COVID-19, and research shows some people don’t regain these senses for four weeks or longer after recovery.

When Am I Considered Recovered From COVID?

Even though some people have lingering symptoms and others have no symptoms at all, Vyas says there are few timeframes to remember when it comes to COVID-19 recovery.

If you haven’t been tested for COVID but were diagnosed based on your symptoms, she says recovery is typically three days after your last day of fever without needing fever-reducing medications. You also should have no respiratory symptoms, and at least a week has passed since your symptoms began.

If you had a positive test, you’re considered recovered once your fever stops without taking fever-reducing drugs and at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms started or 10 days after your positive test.

“It’s the timeframe that is important,” Vyas says.

Next, read about how to put together a stay-healthy kit for flu season and coronavirus.

Sources

• Dr. Tista Ghosh, MD, an epidemiologist and medical director at digital health care company Grand Rounds

• Neha Vyas, a family medicine physician at the Cleveland Clinic.