How long have we been infected with the coronavirus? The length of isolation time varies from country to country. Why?

There are different rules around the world regarding the mandatory isolation of people tested positive for COVID-19. The USA has reduced this period to five days, Great Britain to seven days, and in other countries isolation takes up to two weeks. Why these discrepancies? How long can a person who has been infected with the coronavirus infect others? Experts’ opinions are divided — informs «The Guardian».

1. The United States has reduced the mandatory isolation period for people infected with COVID-19 to five days. Great Britain limited this period to seven days. According to some experts, it is a form of accepting and learning to live with the virus, according to others — it’s reckless
2. The different approach to isolation is the result of divergent opinions of experts as to the length of time in which we infect others with the coronavirus
3. In Poland, there is still a 10-day isolation period for people suffering from asymptomatic infection, and a 13-day isolation period for those who have symptoms. A similar or longer period of isolation applies, inter alia, to in Germany, France, Scotland and Northern Ireland
4. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Seven days at home plus a negative test result frees Englanders from compulsory isolation due to COVID-19. On December 22, 2021, this period was shortened from the previous 10 days. Fully vaccinated people do not need to self-isolate. Compulsory isolation has also been shortened by the United States – there it is extremely short, it only lasts five days, provided that the person does not have any symptoms at this point. Wearing a mask is required for the next five days to minimize the risk of possible transmission of the virus.

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How long have we been infected with the coronavirus?

Since there are so many different approaches to the length of isolation, how long does the coronavirus infection actually last? How long does a person with a positive test result pose a threat to their environment and does it matter which variant of COVID-19 we are dealing with? It turns out that Opinions differ on this subject and there is really no clear answer to these questions.

1. How long have you contaminated with Omikron? When do symptoms appear? [WE EXPLAIN]

It has been clear for some time that symptoms may appear up to two days after infection. If these symptoms are absent, the test may be the only confirmation. According to Harvard Medical School experts quoted by The Guardian, approximately 10 days after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, most people will no longer be infected. Dr. Julian Tang, an expert in respiratory sciences at the University of Leicester, believes that the Omicron variant will have a similar time frame, whether we’re talking about a vaccinated or unvaccinated person. However, prof. Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick Medical School, who says that Omikron variant has 2-3 days shorter infection duration and is influenced by whether or not it is vaccinated.

This opinion is confirmed by the UK Health Safety Agency, which believes that reduced isolation times in England also reduce the spread of the virus and prevent economic stagnation. The introduced change is therefore a kind of compromise.

Only five days of isolation – a compromise or recklessness?

The belief that most virus transmission occurs early in the course of the disease has also led to the reduction of mandatory self-isolation in the US to five days. As reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “People who test positive should self-isolate for five days, and if they are asymptomatic after that, they can leave isolation they should continue masking for five days to minimize the risk of infecting others ». Simultaneously those who have received a booster or have recently completed the primary COVID-19 vaccine course do not need to self-isolate, but should wear masks for 10 days.

“This is just another compromise, we learn to accept and live with this virus” — Dr. Julian Tang told The Guardian. “Different countries will approach it differently based on their local knowledge, research, experience, resources and priorities” — stressed.

1. What to do when you notice the first symptoms of coronavirus? [WE EXPLAIN]

However, some experts have raised concerns about the US regulatory change. Dr.Michael Mina, former assistant professor at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and now CSO at eMed, noted that some people stay infected for up to 12 days. «The new CDC guidelines to limit isolation to five days without negative testing are reckless» — he wrote on Twitter. “I absolutely don’t want to sit next to someone who tested positive five days ago and has no negative test.”

In other countries, the isolation period is still longer

Other countries do not yet think about such compromises. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the self-isolation period for test positive individuals is still 10 days. In France, people with COVID-19 must self-isolate for 10 days, while in Germany, the mandatory self-isolation period is 14 daysunless the PCR test is negative.

A similar period of isolation also applies in Poland. If the disease is asymptomatic and the doctor decides not to extend the isolation, it lasts 10 days from the moment the test is positive.. If symptoms of infection have occurred, isolation should end after three days without fever and without symptoms of respiratory infection, but not earlier than 13 days from the day of symptom onset.

Also read:

1. Do the masks protect against Omicrons? Experts advise how to increase their effectiveness
2. When will the COVID-19 pandemic end? Experts give specific dates
3. Doctor Cautions: Omikron and Delta May Create a New Coronavirus Super Variant

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