How long does COVID stay in your body?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Delta variant Currently, 99% of SARS-CoV-2 virus accounts for 99% of COVID cases in the United States. As the holiday season gets into full swing, gatherings with loved ones can become virus incubators. New variant It will appear.

To limit the spread, you need to understand how long you can give the virus to someone else. In other words, how long does COVID last on your system?

This is what experts told Berrywell about how long COVID stays in the body and what you need to know to prevent infection.

Individual differences

according to Kristen Nichols, PharmaD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCIDPThe length of time a person, who is an infectious disease expert, has a COVID varies from person to person.

“Most people with mild to moderate illness are no longer contagious 10 days after the onset of symptoms,” Nichols said. “But if you have a serious illness or have a weakened immune system, it can be even longer.”

This can be true for people who continue to experience COVID symptoms for weeks or months after infection. this is,”Long COVID.. ”

For example, in one recent study, most of the participants were still tired or Cognitive dysfunction It’s been over 7 months since they got sick.

Get a positive COVID test

If the test is positive but not symptomatic, Nichols said, “you need to be isolated from the positive test for a full 10 days.”

If you are infected with COVID, you can start meeting others after certain criteria have been met.

• At least 10 days have passed since you Symptoms I started
• At least 24 hours have passed without the use of antipyretics and without the use of antipyretics.
• Your symptoms are getting better and there are no new symptoms

Quarantine and quarantine

According to the CDC, quarantine is to separate yourself from others because you have been in close contact with the person with COVID, even if you are not feeling sick.

If you are isolated, you should stay at home for at least 14 days after seeing a person infected with COVID, stay away from others, and be aware of symptoms (such as fever and shortness of breath).

What if I am vaccinated and exposed? Jennifer Hayes, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and co-director of the Colombian Women’s Heart Center, said, “No need to quarantine unless symptoms appear”, “Need to be tested 5-7 days after exposure”, if fully vaccinated. There is, “he told Verywell.

Isolation is when you avoid others. Might be so You have been infected with someone with COVID, but you are not sure and you are not sure if you could get sick.

During quarantine, the CDC recommends the following:

• Monitor symptoms
• Stay in a room separate from the others who live in your home
• If possible, use a different bathroom
• Avoid contact with others in your home, including Your pet
• Do not share personal belongings such as cups, towels and utensils
• Wear a mask if you need to be around others

Testing and retesting

Nichols recommended that you wait at least two COVID negative tests at 24-hour intervals to resume activities, including being in public or around other people.

If the COVID test is positive, Nichols said that “even after the 10th day of quarantine,” no one should be in public until all CDC criteria are met.

However, Nichols also warned that PCR tests sometimes lead to positives. COVID test Results are obtained even when a person is unlikely to shed the virus.

“We certainly don’t know because there are so many variations,” Nichols said. “If your test continues to be positive after the” end “of the quarantine period and you suspect that it is no longer contagious, you should consult your healthcare provider to determine the appropriate time to maintain quarantine. .. ”

Frequently tested, quarantine and quarantine can reduce spread, but experts vaccination The best defense.

“The best way to avoid COVID-19 vaccination is to get vaccinated,” Hayes said. “It is safe and very effective in preventing infections, serious illnesses and hospitalizations.”

If you want to celebrate with your loved ones in the coming weeks, there are steps you can take to keep everyone safe. “Before gathering indoors with family and friends on holidays, everyone should consider using a quick test at home to test,” said Hayes.

The information in this article is up to date as of the date stated. In other words, if you read this, new information may be available. For the latest update of COVID-19, Coronavirus news page..