The emergence of new COVID-19 variants, such as the Omicron sublineages, continues to prompt questions about the virus’s impact. A common concern is understanding how long the illness typically lasts, including both symptom duration and the period an infected person can spread the virus. This information helps individuals manage their health and prevent transmission.
Understanding Illness Duration
Most people with mild to moderate COVID-19 recover within 5 to 10 days. For recent variants like Omicron, symptoms often last around 6 to 7 days, a shorter timeline compared to earlier strains.
Initial symptoms like fever often resolve within the first few days of illness. However, other symptoms such as cough and fatigue may linger for a longer period. Certain symptoms, including breathing difficulties, headaches, and cognitive issues often referred to as “brain fog,” can take an extended time to subside. In cases of severe illness requiring hospitalization, recovery can extend to several weeks or even longer.
Some individuals experience symptoms that persist for weeks, months, or even years after initial infection, a condition known as Long COVID. This affects approximately 1 in 13 people who contract the virus. Long COVID can develop even after a mild or asymptomatic initial infection.
Why Duration Varies
Several factors contribute to the variability in how long an individual experiences COVID-19 symptoms. A person’s vaccination status plays a role, with vaccinated individuals generally experiencing shorter illness durations and less severe symptoms. Booster doses further enhance this protection, helping the immune system respond more effectively to the virus.
Age is another significant factor, as older individuals often require more time to recover from the illness. Pre-existing health conditions, known as comorbidities, can also prolong symptom duration and slow recovery. Conditions such as chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, and a weakened immune system can lead to more prolonged and severe infections.
The initial severity of the illness directly influences recovery time; mild cases resolve faster than severe infections. A robust immune system generally leads to quicker viral clearance, while compromised immunity can result in longer-lasting infections.
How Long Someone is Contagious
The period during which an infected person can transmit the virus differs from the duration of their symptoms. Individuals are typically most contagious in the first 5 to 7 days following infection. Research indicates that peak contagiousness may occur around day four after the onset of symptoms.
The virus can spread even before symptoms appear, with individuals potentially infectious 1 to 2 days prior to symptom onset. Overall, an infected person may be infectious from one to two days before symptoms start and up to 8 to 10 days after symptoms begin.
For those with mild to moderate COVID-19, contagiousness generally lasts about 10 days from the first symptom. However, individuals with severe illness or compromised immune systems might remain infectious for an extended period, potentially up to 20 days. It is also possible for individuals who do not develop any symptoms to still transmit the virus to others.
Health authorities recommend isolation to limit spread. If symptoms develop, isolation should start from the day symptoms appear. Individuals can typically end isolation after at least 5 days if they have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and their other symptoms are improving. Following this period, it is advisable to take additional precautions, such as wearing a mask, for another 5 days. Contact with people at higher risk for severe COVID-19 should be avoided for 10 days.