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How Will I Know If I No Longer Have COVID?

March 18, 2024

How Will I Know If I No Longer Have COVID?

How Will I Know If I No Longer Have COVID?

If you have had the novel coronavirus, you understand that the recovery period is long. Even after you start to feel better, you might be worried about the symptoms popping back up. After having to isolate for a longtime, you probably look forward to seeing your family and friends again. But how soon is too soon?

Is there a way to tell if you are still infectious? It is important to know if you still have COVID so that you don’t accidentally spread it to others. BASS Urgent Care put together this short article so you can stay informed on knowing whether or not you still have COVID-19.

How to Tell If You Are Recovering

People with COVID-19 experience a variety of symptoms, and the severity of the symptoms is different for everyone. It is hard to predict how someone will react to the coronavirus.

Even if you are starting to feel better, you should continue to isolate. You may get worse at this time. It is hard to be completely sure if the sickness has gone away. Your best options are to isolate and get testing done by a health care center.

When Is It Okay to Stop Isolating?

The CDC states that those who have been sick with COVID-19 can stop isolating when they meet the following criteria:

  • Three full days with no fever AND no fever-reducing medicine
  • No coughing
  • No shortness of breath
  • At least one week has passed since symptoms started

You can also use testing to more accurately determine when it is safe to stop self-isolating. You should have a negative result on two tests taken one day apart. 

When you go back to work and start visiting others again, be sure that you follow social distancing guidelines. Avoid large gatherings and wash your hands frequently. 

Since your symptoms can come back even as you start to recover, do not break your isolation too early. Every day that you wait reduces the chances that you will infect others.

How Long Is Someone Contagious?

Scientists are not sure yet how long a person is infectious when it comes to COVID-19. In other illnesses, the odds of infection go down when the person’s fever starts to drop. There is not enough information yet about COVID-19 to know when infectivity stops. 

Since the virus is so contagious, it is critical to practice self-isolation for at least two weeks even after symptoms go away.

When Is It Alright to Visit an Older Family Member?

Many people want to visit their older family members after getting better, but that is not safe. Older people experience more adverse effects, including death, from the coronavirus.

It is not yet safe to go back to visiting older family members regularly. For now, see them only when necessary. If you are dropping off groceries, be sure to wear a mask and clean your hands before you arrive. If you have had COVID, it is best to have someone else temporarily bring their groceries.

There is limited information on immunity against COVID-19 right now. Previous infection may not confer immunity. Take all of the precautions you can to ensure that you and your loved ones are safe.

 

If you are experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus, be sure to contact BASS Urgent Care at (925) 267-7800 to schedule a test.

At BASS Primary Care Walk-in Clinic, it's Your Health, Your Schedule.