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Jan 9, 2024 · Federal health authorities, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommend testing no sooner than five days after a COVID-19 exposure, unless you develop symptoms...
Jan 10, 2024 · You should test when you experience symptoms of the infection and if you have been around someone who has tested positive. If you have symptoms, test right away. Wait five days to test after exposure if you do not have symptoms.
- Lana Barhum
Last Updated Aug. 24, 2022. Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), Division of Viral Diseases. Learn what to do if you are exposed to COVID-19, including how long to wear a mask, what to do if symptoms develop, and when to take a COVID-19 test.
Sep 10, 2021 · It can take almost a week after exposure to COVID-19 to have a positive test result. If you are fully vaccinated, you should wait three to five days after exposure before getting a test. Evidence suggests that testing tends to be less accurate within three days of exposure.
- Overview
- What should you do if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19?
- COVID-19 symptoms
- What type of test should you use?
- What should you do if you test positive?
- What should you do if you test negative?
- How long will you be contagious if you have COVID-19?
- The bottom line
If you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19, it’s important to get tested soon after you had contact with them. It’s the only way to know for sure if you’ve contracted the virus.
If you don’t get tested, you can transmit the virus to other people without knowing it. That’s because the coronavirus can be passed on before you notice any symptoms. In other cases, you might not develop symptoms at all.
If you’re not up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 and you’re not up to date on your COVID-19 vaccinations, you’ll need to: •Quarantine at home for 5 days. Don’t go to work or school. Wear a well fitted mask if you need to be around other people in your home. •Get tested. Even if you don’t have any symptoms, make sure you get tested 5 days after you were exposed. “Day 1” starts the day after the exposure. •Watch for symptoms. Even if you test negative, pay attention to the development of any symptoms for the next 10 days. If you develop any symptoms, isolate yourself right away, and test yourself again. •Avoid travel and high risk individuals for 10 days. To be safe, avoid traveling until 10 days after you were exposed to COVID-19. Also avoid being around people who are at high risk, like older adults and immunocompromised people. Was this helpful?
If you are up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines
According to the CDC, if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 and you’re up to date on your COVID-19 vaccinations, you’ll need to: •Get tested. You don’t need to quarantine, but make sure you test yourself at least 5 days after you were exposed. •Watch for symptoms. Even if you test negative, pay attention to the development of any symptoms for the next 10 days. If you develop symptoms, isolate yourself right away, and get tested again. •Avoid high risk individuals for 10 days. Try to stay away from people who are at high risk for at least 10 days. •Take precautions if you need to travel. Wear a mask at all times and keep your distance from others as much as possible. Was this helpful? It’s also important to get tested if you’ve: •attended a crowded event, like a concert •traveled •developed COVID-19 symptoms It’s crucial to note that the coronavirus may not cause symptoms in some people. You should still get tested 5 days after an exposure, even if you have no symptoms.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include:
•fever
•fatigue
•dry cough
Less commonly, COVID-19 might also cause:
•loss of smell or taste
After an exposure, experts recommend that you take an at-home test.
An at-home test is a type of rapid antigen test, also called a rapid diagnostic test. It checks nasal swab samples for proteins in the coronavirus.
Before using an at-home test, it’s helpful to blow your nose. Having too much mucus in your nose can dilute the sample and increase the risk of a false negative result.
You can perform this test anywhere, so it’s very convenient. It also provides results in about 15 minutes.
A rapid at-home test is also known as a:
•over-the-counter test
Even if you have no symptoms, it’s important to take the following steps if you test positive for COVID-19:
•Notify people you have recently interacted with or been around.
•Isolate and stay home for at least 5 days after you test positive.
•Wear a mask if you need to be around other people in your home.
•Use a separate bathroom from other people in your home, if possible.
•Sleep in a room separate from other people.
A negative test means that levels of the virus aren’t high enough to be detected at this point in time. It doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have the virus.
To be safe and confident that you haven’t contracted the virus, here’s what to do:
•Regardless of your vaccination status, wear a mask around other people, even at home.
•Wear a mask until you can test yourself again.
•Test yourself again 1 or 2 days after your negative test.
If you test negative again, you can end your quarantine. This only applies to people who aren’t up to date on their vaccinations. You don’t need to quarantine after potential COVID-19 exposure if you’re fully vaccinated and boosted.
COVID-19 symptoms can vary widely from one person to the next. Some people may have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.
In general, COVID-19 symptoms start 1 to 14 days after exposure. The average time frame is around 5 days.
If you do have COVID-19, the virus is most likely to be transmitted 1 to 2 days before your symptoms start, or 2 to 3 days after your symptoms begin.
The coronavirus can still spread up to 10 days after you contract it.
If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, it’s important to get tested around 5 days after exposure. This is recommended even if you do not have symptoms.
You can take a rapid at-home test. If it’s positive, let your close contacts know and isolate for 5 days after taking the test.
If the test is negative, you’ll want to confirm the negative results. Regardless of your vaccination status, test yourself again 1 or 2 days later. Wear a mask around other people until you know for sure that you haven’t contracted the coronavirus.
It’s also a good idea to test yourself if you have COVID-19 symptoms. Similarly, if you’ve traveled or attended a crowded event, consider getting tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.
Jan 7, 2024 · Depending on which COVID-19 variant you've been exposed to, you may test positive 3-5 days later. If you've been exposed to the virus but don't have any symptoms, wait for 5 days before...
May 2, 2024 · Updated May 2, 2024. Español. Print. COVID-19 testing can help you know if you have COVID-19 so you can decide what to do next, like getting treatment to reduce your risk of severe illness and taking steps to lower your chances of spreading the virus to others. When you get tested: Choose the right type of test for your circumstance.
