Covid - how long are you contagious?

[Flyhigher]

Does anyone know? I've forgotten. And hoping it's less than 10 days.

Tested negative first time just now. But I am coughing. A bit.

Have had it actively for 6 days. Tested positive Thursday and Friday

Isolating in my house is awful. As is the knock on on my family. 16 year old doing mocks too.

If test was negative it is deemed nit contagious. 5 days was last recommendation but nothing now.

Five days, which includes the day before you got your positive test.

I was still testing positive for two weeks when I caught Covid just after Christmas. I assumed I was contagious until my test was negative. My acupuncturist wouldn't treat me until I'd had a negative test and I wasn't allowed to visit my mother in law in her care home until I was negative again either.

Yes it's until a negative test. Someone I know annoyed me by going to work when there was still a faint line then complaining when 2 colleagues caught it and were off for a week longer than she took.

I had it in Nov and was still positive on day 11! The old rules were that you were deemed non-contagious after 2 days of negative tests. I thought you started testing at day 6, so IF both day 6 and & on day 7 were negative- you weren't contagious. If still positive though- still contagious.

I was surprised when DD Tod me DGD’s nursery take them back three days after a positive test.

There are no isolation rules and we certainly didn't isolate from the rest of the family. There is no need for a negative test. When I had it recently I still went shopping if required but wore a mask.

It's advised to stay away for 3 days for children and 5 for adults after a positive test but it's guidance rather than to be strictly followed

I didn't isolate from family when I had it. Others didn't catch it from me

Just checked and this is what .gov website says

NHS staff are expected at work if well enough.

I've been fairly ill. In bed. So don't want to pass it on.

Thanks all! I agree with 2 days of negative tests. Means you are not contagious x

Just because you test positive after five days, doesn’t actually mean you are still contagious.

Just because there are no restrictions in this country any more, doesn’t mean you aren’t contagious if you catch it…!

If you test positive the viral load must be high enough that you can spread it.