When does a person with COVID-19 infect the most?

The cumulative incidence of COVID-19 is 1,225.28 cases per 100,000 inhabitants at 14 days, according to the latest report of the Ministry of Health, which measures the incidence in those over 60 years. The increase in infections is skyrocketing in recent weeks, partly due to the appearance of two omni-variants: BA.4 and BA.5.

This is a summer without restrictions or quarantine after two years of COVID-19 pandemic with continuous waves and increases in contagion. The sale of antigen tests allows self-diagnosis of Sars-CoV-2 if there has been contact with a positive case in coronavirus.

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends monitoring symptoms up to ten days after being in contact with a person and five days of isolation, although in Spain it is no longer mandatory. In addition to the use of the mask.

The coronavirus has an incubation period that can vary and goes from when it was exposed to the virus until the first symptoms of COVID-19 appear. It is believed that the moment when a person can be more contagious is when he has several symptoms (cough, sneezing,…).

Therefore, the CDC recommends that you watch for symptoms until 10 days have passed since your last close contact with a person with COVID-19. During that time you may or may not develop symptoms.

The appearance of symptoms during the first 5 days of infection by increased transmission of the disease is key, which can be transmitted at any point of the infection. In addition, the coronavirus can also be transmitted days before the onset of symptoms and days after they end.

Another aspect to consider is the viral load of a person -different in each individual- . According to the CDC, the infectious load begins to rise between one and two days before the onset of symptoms and falls between two and three days later. It is therefore, during those five days after infection, and in general the first week of illness, are the moments of greatest risk for infection.