Most people with Mild COVID-19 is still contagious five days after symptoms start, study suggests throwing questionable current National Health Service leadership on how for a long time avoid contact with other.
Imperial College London study found two-thirds of participants have been infectious for five days and quarter were still contagious seven days later.
The current NHS guidance is that people should try to stay on home as well as avoid contact with other for five days.
Legislation no longer requires self-isolation if you test positive for COVID-19.
new study follows another found what most people who were infected with Omicron didn’t even realize they had COVID-19.
research this is first to uncover how long-term contagion lasts for after natural infection with COVID-19 in in community.
The study team conducted detailed daily tests with 57 people exposed to the virus to look at how a lot of the infectious virus they shed during their infection.
They are found:
- Average duration of contagiousness was five days
- Only one in five participants were contagious before the onset of symptoms of COVID-19
- Two-thirds of cases remained contagious five days after symptom onset
- One-quarter were still contagious after seven days
- Sidestream tests fail to reliably detect start of contagious, but can be used to safely reduce isolation
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Study co-author Dr Seran Hakki of the Imperial National Heart and Lung Institute said: “There is no longer a legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19 but most people Still want isolate until they become infectious.
“Despite this, there is not enough of clarity around how come out of myself-isolation safely.
“Our research is first evaluate how long-term contagion lasts for, using real life evidence from a naturally acquired infection. Thus, our findings may provide guidance on how safely commit suicide isolation.”
She is added: “If you are test positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms after in contact with somebody with confirmed COVID-19, you should try to stay on home and minimize contact with Another people.”
