Are you really no longer infectious after 7 days?

[Myfriendanxiety]

Many media stories I’ve read say the person has been hospitalised and died after having the illness for more than 7 days. It seems day 10 can be quite critical for some people.

Since everyone is still wearing protective equipment and loved ones can’t visit or say goodbye when they are in hospital doesn’t this indicate that they could be contagious well after the 7 days?

I guess you're querying the 7 day isolation rule?
You can leave the house after 7 days if your only symptom is a continued cough, or you have no symptoms at all. If you are still unwell beyond that (a fever, feeling unwell etc), you cannot leave the house because you are still contagious.

I’m wondering whether 7 days is long enough given that people in hospital are past this point but staff still seem to be treating them as highly contagious.

Thanks @Meredithgrey1. So I assume the people in hospital are still contagious because they still have prolonged symptoms and not just a cough.

But what about if you're just feeling tired and have lost your sense of smell?

This virologist says you are only infectious for around 72 hours. 4/5 days for children. www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/cambridge-virologist-explains-what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-covid-19-9104220/?fbclid=IwAR1dj60fXREfI2VQmTerzMAZ6chfYdVp_m4KRCBjxvPRJalIYwNdN2YWmHQ

@iloceplacentas that’s really interesting thank you.