Question: If you get sick with COVID-19, how long do you need to self-quarantine? How long do you stay contagious?

Answer: By now, we’ve all heard that if we are exposed to coronavirus, we should self-quarantine for 14 days. So far, research shows that COVID-19 symptoms generally begin 5 days after exposure (range 2–14 days). If you don’t have symptoms within 14 days, you’re good to go back into the world. But what if you start to become sick within those 14 days? How long do you need to avoid seeing your parents or grandparents? How long do you need to self-quarantine then? These are questions scientists are still grappling with. We think that people are most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest). Research published in the Lancet two days ago shows that median duration of viral shedding among individuals who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 was 20 days in survivors (range: 8–37 days) with one survivor shedding 37 days after COVID-19 onset. Again, we have limited data and these data are among those who were more severely impacted by COVID-19. My advice — If you’re sick, use your best judgement. Based on current data, if you’re still coughing, you’re likely still able to spread the virus. So, as long as you’re coughing, stay away from others!