COVID-19 FAQ

What is the difference between asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 cases?

Asymptomatic means you have no symptoms, but you have the virus. Before symptoms appear, it means you are infected and you are spreading the virus. But you don’t yet have symptoms, which will eventually appear.

What is the difference between presymptomatic and asymptomatic cases of COVID-19?

A presymptomatic case of COVID-19 is an individual infected with SARS-CoV-2 who was asymptomatic at the time of testing, but later developed symptoms during the course of infection.

Asymptomatic cases are individuals who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 and have not developed symptoms at any point during the infection process.

What does asymptomatic and presymptomatic mean for COVID-19 infection?

There has been a lot of news coverage about COVID-19 and asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission.
An asymptomatic person has an infection but no symptoms and will not develop it in the future. A person who was infected before symptoms developed but has not yet developed any symptoms.
Both groups can spread the infection.

Is presymptomatic spread of COVID-19 possible?

The potential for presymptomatic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 adds to the challenge of COVID-19 containment measures based on early detection and isolation of symptomatic people.

How long can you remain infectious after testing positive for COVID-19?

If someone is asymptomatic or their symptoms disappear, they can still be contagious for at least 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. People hospitalized with serious illness and people with weakened immune systems can be contagious for 20 days or more.

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How long should I isolate at home if I have COVID-19?

People who are seriously ill with COVID-19 may need to stay home for more than 10 days and up to 20 days after their first symptoms. People with weakened immune systems may need to be tested to determine when they can be around others. Contact your healthcare provider for more information.

When do people with COVID-19 become contagious?

Researchers estimate that people infected with the coronavirus can spread it to others 2 to 3 days before symptoms begin, and are most contagious 1 to 2 days before they feel sick.

What is asymptomatic transmission?

An asymptomatic laboratory-confirmed case is someone who is infected with COVID-19 and has no symptoms. Asymptomatic transmission is when the virus spreads from a person who is not showing symptoms.

There are very few reports of truly asymptomatic laboratory-confirmed cases, and to date, no asymptomatic transmission has been recorded. That doesn’t rule out the possibility that it could happen. In some countries, asymptomatic cases have been reported as part of contact tracing efforts.

What does pre-symptoms related to COVID-19 mean?

Before symptoms appear, it means you are infected and you are spreading the virus. But you don’t yet have symptoms, which will eventually appear. Unfortunately, there is evidence that you may be most contagious in the presymptomatic stage, before you develop any symptoms.

What is a presymptomatic case of COVID-19?

A presymptomatic case of COVID-19 is an individual infected with SARS-CoV-2 who was asymptomatic at the time of testing, but later became symptomatic during infection.

How much of the spread of COVID-19 comes from asymptomatic cases?

In the first mathematical model to include data on daily changes in detection capacity, the team found that only 14% to 20% of individuals with COVID-19 exhibited symptoms of the disease, with more than 50% of community transmission from asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic ‘s case.

Can symptom screening identify asymptomatic people with coronavirus disease?

Symptom screening will not identify some students with the virus that causes COVID-19. Symptom screening cannot identify people with COVID-19 who are asymptomatic (no symptoms) or presymptomatic (not yet showing symptoms or signs, but will appear later). Others may have symptoms so mild that they may not notice. Children infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 are more likely than adults to have no or only mild symptoms.

How soon after exposure do symptoms of COVID-19 appear?

Symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

How many people with COVID-19 are asymptomatic?

South Korea’s estimate of 30 percent is slightly lower than the asymptomatic figure provided by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. About 40 percent of Americans with COVID-19 have no symptoms, he said.

What temperature is considered a fever when monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists fever as a criterion for screening for COVID-19, and a person is considered to have a fever if they have a temperature of 100.4 or higher—meaning it’s higher than it thinks it is out nearly 2 degrees. The average « normal » temperature is 98.6 degrees.

How common is asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19, according to a model created by CDC researchers?

Overall, the model predicts that 59% of coronavirus transmission will come from people without symptoms, with 35% from people with symptoms and 24% from people with no symptoms at all.

Do people without symptoms have the same amount of coronavirus as people with symptoms?

« Asymptomatic » can refer to two groups of people: those who do eventually have symptoms (presymptomatic) and those who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic). During this pandemic, we have seen that people without symptoms can spread coronavirus infection to others.

People with COVID-19 can be contagious 48 to 72 hours before they start showing symptoms. In fact, people without symptoms may be more likely to spread the disease because they are less likely to be quarantined and may not take actions designed to prevent transmission.

What should you do if you have someone with COVID-19 around you?

For anyone who has been in contact with someone with COVID-19

Anyone who has been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after the last contact with that person.

How long will it take to recover from COVID-19?

Fortunately, people with mild to moderate symptoms usually recover within days or weeks.

When can I be with other people after having mild or moderate COVID-19?

You can be with other people when:
• 10 days after symptoms first appeared, and.
• No fever for 24 hours and no fever reducers.
• Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving*

How long does it take for symptoms to appear?

Symptoms may appear 2 days to 2 weeks after exposure. A pooled analysis of 181 confirmed cases of COVID-19 outside of Wuhan, China, found that the average incubation period was 5.1 days, and 97.5% of those who developed symptoms occurred within 11.5 days of infection.

What are some common symptoms of COVID-19 disease?

Symptoms may include: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath; fatigue; muscle and body pain; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea.

Can asymptomatic and symptomatic patients transmit COVID-19?

An asymptomatic person has an infection but no symptoms and will not develop it in the future. A person who was infected before symptoms developed but has not yet developed any symptoms.
Both groups can spread the infection.

How long should I isolate if I test positive for COVID-19 but have no symptoms?

If you still have no symptoms, you can be with other people 10 days after you test positive for COVID-19.

If you develop symptoms after testing positive, follow the « I think or know I have COVID-19 and I have symptoms » guidance above.

What should a symptomatic person who receives a negative COVID-19 antigen test result do?

Symptomatic individuals who receive a negative antigen test result and then NAAT confirms a negative result but have been in close contact with a COVID-19 patient in the past 14 days should follow CDC isolation guidance, which may include Re-detect the last known exposure days later.