The CDC says people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the few days before and after symptoms develop. But that window of time might happen earlier with omicron, according to some outside experts.
Hospitals around the country are feeling the strain of rising infections, with Massachusetts and Maine sending National Guard members to support struggling healthcare systems.It’s not yet clear, but some early data suggests people might become contagious sooner than with earlier variants — possibly within a day after infection.
That’s because omicron appears to cause symptoms faster than previous variants – about three days after infection, on average, according to preliminary studies. Based on previous data, that means people with omicron could start becoming contagious as soon as a day after infection. Researchers say it’s too early to know whether that shorter incubation period for omicron translates into earlier contagiousness. But it would help explain the variant'sDr. Amy Karger of the University of Minnesota Medical School recommends that people test themselves at three days and five days after exposure if possible.
Lab-developed tests are more sensitive than rapid tests so they should be able to pick up the virus by day three after exposure, if not earlier.
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