Omicron’s BA.2 sub-variant continues to cause a large number of Covid cases in the United Kingdom.
This comes at a time when the restrictions are almost over and the government has abolished the universal provision of free tests for Covid.
The legal requirement for self-isolation after a positive test was also dropped, and instead Boris Johnson called on people to exercise personal responsibility.
Here’s what to do if you catch the virus and how long you can be contagious.
When are you most contagious with Covid?
For previous versions of Covid-19, such as Alpha and Delta, the World Health Organization (WHO) said symptoms could begin to develop between two days and two weeks after infection.
However, the incubation period – the time between infection and the onset of symptoms – is thought to be much shorter for Omicron and its shoots: between three and five days.
Harvard University says: “People are considered to be the most contagious at the beginning of their illness.
“With Omicron, most transmission seems to occur one to two days before the onset of symptoms and two to three days after. Asymptomatic people can also spread the coronavirus to others. “
Health Minister Sajid Javid said in December: “The latest analysis by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) suggests that the window between infection and infectivity may be shorter for the Omicron option than for the Delta option.
The data show that the majority of people are no longer contagious seven days after starting to experience symptoms or the first positive test, especially when vaccinated, and the vast majority are no longer contagious after 10 days.
How long can you test positive?
Most people will stop taking a positive test within 10 days of starting to experience symptoms or getting their first positive test.
However, it is possible to continue with positive tests for weeks or even months after becoming infected with the virus.
The good news is that even if you continue to test positive after a long time, you are very unlikely to be contagious.
Gavi Vaccine Alliance explains: “The time required for a negative test after infection with Covid-19 depends on the severity of the case, as well as the test itself.
“PCR tests, which detect parts of viral genetic material (RNA in the case of Covid-19) in our bodies and amplify it so that we can detect it, are extremely sensitive and can even detect the presence of several viral fragments. This is because fragments of viral RNA can remain in our bodies long after the infection is over and the virus has been cleared from our system.
What are the symptoms of Covid?
The NHS already lists the following as official symptoms of Covid:
- Fever or shivering (chills) – Fever means that you feel hot when you touch your chest or back (you don’t need to measure your temperature)
- New, prolonged cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour or three or more episodes of cough in 24 hours
- Loss or change in your sense of smell or taste
- Lack of air
- Feeling tired or exhausted
- Body pain
- headache
- Sore throat
- Clogged or runny nose
- Loss of appetite
- diarrhea
- To feel bad or sick
For most of the pandemic, only the first three symptoms were listed above by the NHS.
However, in early April, he added nine more signs, explaining: “The symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of other diseases, such as colds and flu.
More on Covid-19
What should you do if you have Covid?
In England and Wales, people are no longer required by law to isolate themselves after experiencing Covid symptoms or taking a positive test. Scotland and Northern Ireland still have mandatory isolation.
However, the UK government continues to advise people with Covid to stay at home and avoid contact with others.
If you test positive or have symptoms, the NHS advises you to take the following steps:
- Try to work from home if you can – if you can’t work from home, ask your employer about your options
- Stay home if you can – this helps reduce the number of people you have contact with
- Avoid contact with people at higher risk for Covid-19, especially if their immune system means they are at higher risk for serious Covid-19 disease, even if they have had the vaccine.
- Follow the tips on how to avoid spreading the virus to the people you live with
- Let the people who need to enter your home know that you have tested positive or have symptoms – then they can take steps to protect themselves, such as wearing a cover for a person who looks good, stay away from you as much as you can, and wash your hands regularly
- Contact your healthcare provider and tell them about your positive test result or symptoms if you are asked to attend a medical or dental check-up in person.
- Ask friends, family or neighbors to provide you with food or other necessities
If a child or person 18 years of age or younger is positive, they should try to stay home and avoid contact with other people for three days. This starts the day after they take the test.
Previously, people were advised to leave the isolation after five full days if their test was negative for two consecutive days, or after 10 days if they continued to have a positive test.
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