The number of positive cases is crossing new limits every day with no measures to slow down. The coronavirus is a highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract and spreads through tiny droplets from the nose and mouth that come out forms an infected person while coughing, sneezing, or hand to mouth contact. Right now the only best precautionary measure is to cover your nose and mouth while in public places as it can reduce the chances of getting the infection. From the past few months, one question that remains in our mind is how long after getting infected with COVID-19 can a person still pass on the virus to others? 

Incubation period?

Incubation time is referred to as the period between getting exposed to a virus by different means and the ongoing symptoms. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronavirus takes 1 to 14 days to show symptoms such as coughing, breathlessness, fever, and exhaustion. In many cases, the signs are visible within 4 to 6 days after being exposed to the virus. 

How long an infected person can pass the virus? 

As per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people suffering from the virus are highly contagious when they are showing the symptoms. The first 7 days after the symptoms start to show is a high-risk phase. Also,  some people might spread the virus 1 to 3 days before showing the symptoms. The period depends on the severity of the condition. 

When a person is not infected? 

Recovering from coronavirus can be a time taking process. In mild cases, the recovery takes 1 or 2 weeks. However, in severe cases, it might take up to 1 month to test negative for COVID-10. According to the CDC, if a person is symptoms free for 3 days, without taking any medicines and they developed the symptoms 10 days prior then they are not considered to be infectious.

However, there are few studies that suggest that the virus stays in the body for a long time after recovery. As per a study carried out in Hong Kong, the strains of the virus can be found in the blood for 20 days after the onset of the symptoms.

So maintain precautions and stay safe.