How Long Does COVID-19 Stay In Your Body?

Most people with COVID-19 aren't contagious for more than 10 days after symptom onset. If you have COVID-19, self-isolation during the contagious period is the best way to avoid passing the virus on to others. 

Here’s what experts told Verywell about how long COVID stays in your system, as well as what you need to know to prevent transmission.

COVID-19 Contagious Period Varies

According to Kristen Nichols, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCIDP, an infectious disease specialist, the length of time COVID remains in your system varies from person to person.

“Most people with mild to moderate illness are no longer contagious 10 days after the onset of symptoms,” said Nichols. “But it can be longer for patients who have experienced severe illness, or for patients with weakened immune systems.”

As new variants of COVID-19 continue to emerge, the length of time people are contagious may change. For example, studies have found that people with the omicron variant may be contagious for longer than people who had previous variants.

Getting a Positive COVID Test

Nichols said that if you test positive but do not have symptoms, you “should isolate for 10 full days from the positive test.”

[According to the CDC, if you've tested positive but do not have symptoms, you should isolate for 5 days after your test and continue to wear a mask for the next five days.

If you have mild symptoms, you should isolate for 5 days after your symptoms started. You can end isolation after 5 days as long as your symptoms are improving and you’ve gone at least 24 hours without a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. After ending isolation, you should wear a mask for 5 days.

If you have moderate COVID-19, you should isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms. People with severe COVID or who are immunocompromised should isolate for 20 days or more, based on testing and the advice of a healthcare provider.

People who are vaccinated may be contagious for a shorter period of time than those who are not vaccinated. Still, the CDC's recommendations for isolation are the same for anyone with COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status.]

DELETE:

If you have had COVID, you can start seeing other people after certain criteria have been met:

• It’s been at least 10 days since your symptoms started
• You’ve gone at least 24 hours without a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications 
• Your symptoms are getting better and you do not have any new symptoms

Quarantine vs. Isolation

According to the CDC, quarantine is when you separate yourself from other people because you were in close contact with someone with COVID—even if you do not feel sick.

If you are quarantined, you will need to stay home for at least 14 days after you saw the person who was sick with COVID, stay apart from other people, and watch for symptoms (such as a fever or shortness of breath).

What do you do if you’ve been vaccinated and you get exposed? Jennifer Haythe, MD, associate professor of medicine and co-director of Columbia Women’s Heart Center, told Verywell that if you are fully vaccinated, “you do not need to quarantine unless you develop symptoms” and that “you should test five to seven days after exposure.”

Isolation is when you avoid other people because you might have been exposed to someone with COVID but you are not sure, and you are not sure if you could be sick.

While you are isolating, the CDC recommends that you:

• Monitor your symptoms 
• Stay in a separate room from other people who live in your home
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible
• Avoid contact with others in your home, including your pets
• Do not share personal items, such as cups, towels, and utensils
• Wear a mask if you have to be around other people

Testing and Retesting

Nichols recommended waiting until you have had at least two COVID negative tests, 24 hours apart, to resume any activities that involve you being in the public and around other people.

If you test positive for COVID, Nichols said that someone should not go out in public until they have met all the CDC’s criteria “even if their 10th day of isolation has passed.”

However, Nichols also cautioned that PCR tests sometimes produce positive COVID test results even when a person is unlikely to be shedding the virus.

“Since there is so much variation, we don’t know for sure,” said Nichols. “If someone continues to test positive after their isolation period is ‘up’ and suspects that they are no longer contagious, they should speak with their healthcare provider to determine the appropriate amount of time to remain in isolation.”

While getting tested frequently, isolating, and quarantining can help curb the spread, experts agree that vaccination is the best defense.

“The best way to avoid getting COVID-19 is to be vaccinated,” said Haythe. “It is safe and very effective at preventing transmission and serious illness and hospitalization.”

If you’re hoping to celebrate with loved ones in the coming weeks, there are steps that you can take to keep everyone safe. Haythe said that “prior to getting together indoors with family and friends for the holidays, consider having everyone tested using rapid at-home tests.”

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page.