The incubation period of coronavirus in humans

Contents

How long is the incubation period of coronavirus
What are the symptoms of a person during the incubation period of coronavirus
Is a person contagious during the incubation period of coronavirus
Popular questions and answers
- Sources of

The virus, entering the human body, may not manifest itself immediately – it has an incubation period, that is, a period of time between infection and the manifestation of the first symptoms of the disease. COVID-19 can do more than flu and SARS

For most viruses that cause SARS (and COVID-19 is one of them), the incubation period is similar and ranges from 1 to 10 days. But more often, symptoms appear after 3-5 days. The flu is even faster – in a day or two. Coronavirus, according to observations that are currently available, the incubation period may be longer.

How long is the incubation period of coronavirus

According to the WHO, the incubation period of the COVID-19 coronavirus can last from 1 to 14 days. But most often the disease manifests itself after 5 days.¹.

In some patients, the coronavirus proceeds in a mild form and is no different from other colds – there are no complications. But there are also severe forms of infection that are accompanied by severe lung damage, usually bilateral, respiratory failure, systemic inflammation that provokes a cytokine storm, due to which serious and life-threatening complications occur.

british strain

The so-called British strain (its other names are 202012/01, line B.1.1.7 or strain 20B/501Y.V1) is considered by scientists to be more active than the original version of the virus. There is evidence that the incubation period has decreased by 1-3 days, and ranges from 2-3 to 10-11 days².

Indian Strain

Data on the incubation period of this strain, called the delta coronavirus, is still scarce. Scientists believe that it has become more contagious and its incubation period has been reduced to 5 to 7 days. It is this strain that is increasingly being detected in Russia in connection with the development of the third wave³.

African Strain

The incubation period in the case of human infection with a new strain of coronavirus from southern Africa called “omicron” (B.1.1.529) is 5 days. He has different genetics from the delta strain, so it is still difficult to say how difficult the disease will be. So far, the new strain has been little studied, but it is already clear that it is highly contagious and spreads faster than its predecessors.

What are the symptoms of a person during the incubation period of coronavirus

During the incubation period, the coronavirus does not manifest itself in any way – the person looks absolutely healthy and feels great. But this is not a reason to relax – if you have recently returned from countries where there is an epidemic of coronavirus or have frequent contact with people, it is likely that the virus has already entered your body.

In addition, asymptomatic course of the disease is possible.

Is a person contagious during the incubation period of coronavirus

During the incubation period, the virus is already in the body, but it is not enough. That is why there are no symptoms. But it actively multiplies and as soon as it becomes a lot, the disease makes itself felt.

During the incubation period, a person is usually not contagious. But doctors have another term – the latent period. This is the period of time from the moment of infection until the day when the patient himself becomes contagious. And it is shorter than the incubation one, on average, by a day. Roughly speaking: a person became infected, for three days he did not pose any danger to others, on the fourth day he became contagious, and he learns that he fell ill only on the fifth day. So outwardly healthy does not mean non-infectious. We can’t guess when we got the infection⁴.

Therefore, if you have come from a trip or it turns out that you have been in contact with a sick person, it is best to self-isolate: ask your employer to allow you to work remotely from home (this is in his own interests), do not contact family, friends and watch how you feel: how just noticed the first signs of a cold (fever, cough, runny nose) – call a doctor. Only he can give you an accurate diagnosis and decide whether you need special texts for coronavirus.

– The incubation period may decrease against the background of an unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption, unbalanced diet, stressful situations, constant psycho-emotional stress, physical inactivity, poor material and living conditions, drug use, unfavorable moral climate in the family, low cultural and educational level), – explains PhD, anesthesiologist-resuscitator Maxim Shubin. – Immunity suffers and does not fully respond to the pathogen that has appeared, therefore, less time is required for clinical manifestations.