COVID-19: For How Long an Ill Person Can Spread the Coronavirus?

As more and more people go through the coronavirus, the question of when they stop being infections becomes more important.

It is commonly accepted that the incubation period of COVID-19 is between 1 and 14 days, with most common 5-6 days (World Health Organization data). It is established that an ill person starts to spread the coronavirus the next day after the infection, and the peak happens on average two days before the appearance of the first symptoms of the decease. So, we see very fast growth of the ability to infect others. Then, obviously, the infectiousness decreases, but how fast?

The majority of specialists convinced that the period of the most infectiousness finishes around one week after first symptoms of COVID. At the same time there are cases detected when live coronavirus was spread during up to 90 days after first symptoms.

You can also consider related issues. Suppose you have a friend who had coronavirus two months ago. He has sufficient amount of antibodies, most likely he/she cannot spread COVID and can feel himself/herself quite safe. But can you? No doubt your friend doesn’t care about his contacts much, and he/she can quite be in contact with those actively spreading the coronavirus. Do you remember for how long does a virus live on different surfaces? So, when you come to his/her place, you may well take enough viruses from things that are safe for the host but very dangerous for you.

So, the question on how long you should fear a person gone through COVID depends mostly on your attitude to risk.

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