COVID-19 FAQ

What is the incubation period for COVID-19?

The incubation period for COVID-19 is up to 14 days.

How can an individual be considered a close contact of COVID-19?

Individuals who are unable to maintain social distancing from others throughout the day (eg, individuals who are exposed to a case multiple times and cannot calculate the total exposure time or the total exposure time equals or exceeds 15 minutes) are considered close contacts. In addition, because the public is not trained in the proper selection and use of masks (such as N95 or cloth masks), close contacts should generally be identified whether or not contacts are wearing masks.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated chills, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, or muscle pain, congestion/runny nose, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.

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 soon after infection do symptoms of COVID-19 appear?

In rare cases, symptoms will appear after 14 days. Researchers believe this happens to about 1 in 100 people. Some people may be infected with the coronavirus but never develop symptoms. Others may not know they have the disease because their symptoms are so mild.

How to do a COVID-19 Self-Test (Rapid Antigen Test)

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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 Wuhan, China, found that the mean incubation period was 5.1 days, and 97.5% of those who developed symptoms occurred within 11.5 days of infection.

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

If someone is asymptomatic or their symptoms disappear, it is possible to remain infectious 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.

Who should be tested for COVID-19 after exposure?

Most had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more in 24 hours) of someone with confirmed COVID-19.

Should I quarantine if I have 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 should I self-isolate if I have been exposed to COVID-19?

People with positive results should remain in isolation until they meet the criteria for stopping isolation. People with negative results should quarantine for 14 days unless other guidance is given by local, tribal, or territorial public health authorities.

Can COVID-19 symptoms come and go?

Yes. During recovery, people with COVID-19 may experience recurring symptoms and feel better for a while. Fever, fatigue, and breathing problems of varying degrees can last for days or even weeks.

Can you recover at home if you have a mild case of COVID-19?

Most people are mildly ill and recover at home.

Under what conditions does COVID-19 survive the longest?

The coronavirus dies quickly when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Like other enveloped viruses, SARS-CoV-2 survives longest at room temperature or lower and at low relative humidity (<50%).

Does wearing a mask help determine if someone is considered a close contact of COVID-19?

A person is considered a close contact even if one or two people are wearing a mask when they are together.

What should essential employees do if they are exposed to COVID-19?

Critical infrastructure employees who have been exposed but remain asymptomatic and must return to on-site work should observe the following practices before and during their shift:

• Pre-screening symptoms
• Monitor symptoms regularly
• Wear a cloth face covering
• social distancing
• Clean and sanitize work areas

Symptomatic employees should be sent home and not allowed to return to the workplace until they meet the criteria to cease home isolation.

What happens to my personal information during COVID-19 contact tracing?

Discussions with health department staff are confidential. This means that your personal and medical information will be kept private and only shared with those who may need to know, such as your healthcare provider.

If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, your name will not be shared with people you have been in contact with. The health department will only notify those who have been in close contact with you that they may have been exposed to COVID-19. Each state and jurisdiction uses its own methods for collecting and protecting health information. To learn more, contact your state or local health department.

Do I need to quarantine after testing negative for the new coronavirus?

You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with someone with COVID-19.

If I am fully vaccinated, should I be tested after close contact with someone with COVID-19?

• If you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after exposure, even if you are asymptomatic. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days after exposure or until your test result is negative.

Should I continue to self-isolate if I test negative for COVID-19 five days after exposure?

If you are tested on the 5th day or later after exposure and the result is negative, you can stop isolating after 7 days. While in isolation, watch for fever, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19. People with severe or life-threatening symptoms should seek emergency care immediately.

If fully vaccinated, when should you be tested for COVID-19 after contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient?

However, fully vaccinated people should be tested 3-5 days after exposure, even if they are asymptomatic and wear a mask in public within 14 days of exposure or until the test is negative.

Who should get tested for COVID-19?

CDC recommends that anyone with any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 get tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection.

Can someone test negative on a virus test for COVID-19 and then test positive?

Yes, it is possible. You may test negative if the sample was taken early in the infection and tested positive later in the disease. You can also be exposed to COVID-19 after being tested and then become infected. Even if you test negative, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others. For more information, see Current Infection Detection.

Can children still go to school if a parent tests positive for COVID-19?

If you or anyone in your household tests positive, your child should follow the school’s isolation guidance. If your child also tests positive, they should not go to school even if they are not showing symptoms. They should follow the school’s quarantine guidance.

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*

Can a recovered person who tests persistently positive for COVID-19 infect others?

In some cases, people who have consistently or repeatedly tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA have improved signs and symptoms of COVID-19. When virus isolation in tissue culture was attempted in these individuals in Korea and the United States, no live virus has been isolated. To date, there is no evidence that clinically recovered individuals with persistent or repeated detection of viral RNA have transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to others.

Despite these observations, it is impossible to conclude that all individuals with persistent or repeated detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA are no longer infectious. There is no conclusive evidence that antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 infection are protective. If these antibodies are protective, it is unclear what antibody levels are needed to prevent reinfection.