How many days do we get infected with the coronavirus? New findings and a tip when to test

From 14 to just five days – this was, in a nutshell, the path that the isolation of COVID-19 patients has “gone through”. The reduction in its duration is the result of research that suggested that new variants of the coronavirus, although more infectious, leave us faster. The latest findings of scientists confirm this thesis, indicating the exact time when we are contagious. Researchers pay attention to one very important detail regarding rapid antigen tests, which we use more and more often.

1. In most countries, isolation of COVID-19 patients took 10 to 14 days at the start of the pandemic
2. Today, SARS-CoV-2, although it infects faster and easier, does not persist in the body for as long – or at least not in such quantity that we pose a threat to others
3. Scientists from Imperial College London have indicated the exact number of days during which we contract the coronavirus
4. By the way, they discovered that rapid antigen tests can be confusing. The key is to reach for them at the right stage of infection
5. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

We infect for longer than we think

A study was conducted at Imperial College London to determine how long we become infected with the coronavirus after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. The answer to this question is important from the point of view of ending isolation and returning to work and social life, which many people today impose on themselves in a spirit of responsibility (in most countries there is no longer a top-down obligation to stay at home after a positive presence test). SARS-CoV-2, although it is recommended).

The study involved 57 people who had a mild course of COVID-19. It was carried out in the course of two waves of infections – first with Alpha, then Delta, but scientists believe that the findings can also be translated into infections with current SARS-CoV-2 variants.

What does the study show? Two-thirds of participants remained infectious five days after the first symptoms of coronavirus infection, and one-fourth became infectious even after seven days.

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Moreover, the study’s findings, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, show that one in five people was contagious before showing symptoms, suggesting that most people infected with COVID-19 are unlikely to be contagious until symptoms develop.

Antigen tests at the end, not at the beginning of the infection

Such accurate results were possible thanks to regular testing of study participants with two types of tests: PCR and antigen tests. This differential diagnosis allowed scientists to establish that rapid antigen tests are not reliable in detecting the onset of infection, but may be useful in determining when to shorten isolation periods.

«Our study found that infectivity usually begins soon after symptoms of COVID-19 appear. We recommend that anyone who has been exposed to the virus and has symptoms of [infection] isolates for five days and then uses daily antigen tests to safely complete isolation when two more tests are negative »comments lead author of the Ajit study Lalvani.