Some experts say the omicron variant has "sped up" timing for what many have come to know with COVID, including the incubation period
Testing continues to be in demand as the new year begins, but post-holiday events navigate many new guidelines on the best time to test for COVID if you've been exposed. When is it?
Some experts say the Omicron variant has "accelerated" the timing for what has been detected with COVID.
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Alison Arvadi said on Thursday, “As we see these new forms evolve – Delta, now Omicron – what we are seeing is everything accelerated from a COVID standpoint.” Has gone." "It takes a short time when a person is exposed to COVID to potentially develop an infection. It takes less time to develop symptoms, less time for someone to be contagious and, for many people, just fine. It takes less time to happen.. A lot of this is because many more people have been vaccinated."
Changes made by the variant have resulted in new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has shifted the timing of isolation and quarantine.
Here's what we know so far.
When is the Best Time to Get Tested After Exposure?
The CDC states that anyone who may have come into contact with someone with COVID should get tested five to seven days after coming into contact with them, or as soon as symptoms appear.
"If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine unless a negative test confirms that the symptoms are not due to COVID-19," the guidance states.
People who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested for infection:
Fully vaccinated people should be tested 5-7 days after their last exposure.
People who have not been fully vaccinated should get tested immediately when they know they have been in close contact. If their test result is negative, they should get tested immediately 5-7 days after their last exposure or if symptoms develop.
Dr. Ngozi Izieke, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said incubation times may change, but those who test early should continue to test even if they get a negative result.
"We'll be learning that the incubation time can be a little bit shorter. So you might be doing the test in two days," Azicke said. "Obviously, if you're symptomatic, you test immediately. But you know, if you want to test in two days, but that negative test ... in two days you shouldn't be thinking, 'Oh well , I'm clear. You know? You'll want to get tested again and of course the symptoms you can't ignore - sore throat, headache, all kinds of symptoms - anything new can be a symptom of this new disease "
How Soon Might COVID Symptoms Appear?
According to earlier CDC guidance, COVID symptoms can appear anywhere from two to 14 days after someone is exposed to the virus.
Anyone exhibiting symptoms should get tested for COVID-19.
Some people may never experience symptoms, though they can still spread the virus.
A person is also considered contagious before symptoms appear.
When Are People with COVID Most Contagious?
The CDC says its guidelines were updated to reflect growing evidence that transmission of COVID-19 often occurs one to two days before and two to three days after the onset of symptoms.
"It has to do with data from the CDC that really shows there's really no risk of transmission at this point after seven days," Arvadi said. "And in that five-to-seven-day window, you know, something depends on whether people have been vaccinated, the underlying conditions, etc., but the risk is greatly reduced and there is a feeling that In the general population, combined masking, etc. The risk is actually very low."
For people without symptoms, CDC guidance states that they are considered contagious for at least two days before they test positive.
How Long Should you Quarantine or Isolate?
First things first, people who believe they have been in contact with someone who has COVID and who haven't been vaccinated should quarantine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who test positive, regardless of vaccination status, should be isolated.
Quarantine
People who have been within six feet with COVID for at least 15 minutes in total in a 24-hour period should be quarantined for five days, or if they are more than six months before their second vaccine dose. If more time is out, the update to CDC guidance released on Monday.
Once that period is over, they must participate in strict mask use for an additional five days.
Earlier, the CDC said that people who were not fully vaccinated and who came into close contact with an infected person should stay home for at least 10 days.
Before Monday, people who were fully vaccinated — which the CDC defined as two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine — could be exempt from quarantine.
People who have been fully vaccinated and extended are not required to quarantine if they have been in close contact with someone with COVID, but must wear a mask for at least 10 days after exposure. The same goes for people who have been fully vaccinated and are not yet eligible for their booster shot.
Local health officials can also make the final determination about how long a quarantine should last, and testing may play a role.
The Illinois Department of Health said it would adopt the CDC's revised guidelines on isolation and quarantine for COVID-19.
In Chicago, people who travel to or from parts of the country and arrive in the city without vaccination must quarantine, but how long they must do so depends on whether they are exposed to COVID-19. get tested for.
The city has not yet said whether the new CDC guidance will replace its travel advisory guidelines.
As of Tuesday, the city's travel advisory advises people who travel through states with specified warnings to:
- Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days.
- Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.
- If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
- If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
Isolation
People who are positive for COVID must stay home for five days, the CDC said on Monday, changing guidance from the previously recommended 10 days.
At the end of the period, if you have no symptoms, you can return to normal activities, but for at least five days, you should wear a mask everywhere – even around others at home.
If you still have symptoms after being isolated for five days, stay home until you feel better and then start your five days of wearing a mask at all times.
So how do you calculate your isolation period?
According to the CDC, "Day 0 is the first day of your symptoms." This means that the first day is the first full day after your symptoms develop.
For those who test positive for COVID but have no symptoms, Day 0 is the day of testing positive. Those who develop symptoms after testing positive should start their counts again, however, with day 0 again becoming the first day of symptoms.
When Should You Call a Doctor?
- shortness of breath
- persistent chest pain or pressure
- new illusion
- inability to wake up or stay awake
- Pale, gray, or bluish skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
"This list does not list all possible symptoms," the CDC states. "Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you."
You can also inform the operator that you believe you or someone you care about has COVID.