How Long Are You Contagious With Covid-19. One 2021 review suggests that a person with COVID-19 is most contagious in the first week of illness. If youre exposed to COVID-19 your first impulse may be to get tested immediately.
Empiric testing and treatment for other viral or bacterial etiologies may be warranted. For COVID-19 there is emerging evidence to suggest the infectious period may start 1. The infectious period means the time youre able to spread the virus to someone else.
Clinical management for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is focused on supportive care for complications including supplemental oxygen and advanced organ support for respiratory failure septic shock and multi-organ failure.
Symptom onset is the day you first start to feel sick. The incubation period or time before symptoms are visible can differ among different illnesses and affect the contagious period. People who have had severe COVID-19. If youve been sick with COVID-19 whether your illness was confirmed by testing or symptom-based criteria the CDC recommends that you remain isolated for at least 10 days since symptom onset and up to 20 days in cases of severe illness.
