COVID-19 in India: Three years into the pandemic, there are still numerous doubts about COVID-19 infection. Meanwhile, the ever-evolving virus isn’t helping either. India on Friday registered a total of 7,533 new COVID-19 cases. According to the Union Ministry data, the active COVID-19 caseload now stands at 53,852.
When a person contracts the COVID-19 virus, the symptoms may start appearing 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. The COVID-19 virus affects everyone differently.
As COVID-19 is contagious, here is what you need to know when you come in contact with a COVID-19 person:
According to Dr. Pramod V Satya, Consultant – Internal Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Millers Road, Bangalore, if you have close contact with a COVID-19 patient without protection, such as a mask and social distancing, it is possible for you to contract the virus, but it may not show the symptoms immediately.
“This is due to a period called the incubation period, which is the time it takes for the virus to enter your body and for symptoms to appear. Typically, this period lasts for 4 to 14 days, with symptoms appearing around 9 days after exposure. It’s important to note that even if you don’t have symptoms during this incubation period, you can still transmit the virus to others. This is how most COVID-19 transmission occurs, so it’s important to take precautions such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus,” Dr. Satya told Financial Express.com.
‘No longer necessary to test after recovery’
Dr. Satya also revealed that it is no longer necessary to test for COVID-19 after recovering from the virus.
“The COVID protein that is checked during testing cannot determine whether the virus is still active or not. Therefore, testing negative for the virus is not required to confirm recovery from COVID-19. Instead, individuals who have contracted the virus are advised to isolate for seven days from the onset of symptoms. After this period, they are no longer contagious and can resume their normal activities without concern. There is no need to repeat a COVID-19 test to prove that the patient has recovered from the infection,” he added.
‘Chances of COVID-19 infection after exposure varies’
According to Dr. Rajiva Gupta, Senior Consultant – Internal medicine at the CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, the chance of contracting COVID-19 after being exposed to an infected person depends on several factors.
“It is not necessarily high, as it depends on the interaction between the host (person exposed to the infected person) and the virus inside the infected person. Factors such as the vaccination status and inherent immunity of the exposed person, the infected person’s behavior (such as wearing a mask), the distance between the two people, and the duration of contact all play a role in determining the likelihood of the exposed person contracting the virus,” Dr. Gupta told Financial Express.com.
Dr. Gupta also emphasised that it is important to note that symptoms may not appear immediately, as the incubation period of COVID-19 is typically between 1-4 days after exposure. Therefore, the possibility of falling ill immediately is still not definite, he added.
“To reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, it is crucial to be fully vaccinated with the primary two doses and boosters, practice appropriate COVID-19 behaviors like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, and avoiding crowded places like malls, schools, workplaces, and public transportation hubs,” he said.
Dr. Gupta also maintained that it’s important to understand that hotspots for COVID-19 infection are places where people gather, such as railway stations, colleges, metros, hospitals, and markets. Therefore, it is essential to follow all COVID-19 protocols at all times.
According to Dr. Gurmeet Singh Chhabra, Director & HOD, Department of Pulmonology, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Faridabad NCR, staying around a COVID-19 patient will not make you ill immediately but the virus has a very short incubation period ranging from 1 to 3 days, so if the virus attacks you, the symptoms will likely develop within a day’s time stretching up to 3 days.
“In contrast, during the Delta wave, it was considered to show signs after 3 days. Children with comorbid conditions are at risk of catching covid infection from mild to severe. The best way to prevent getting an infection from a person who is suffering from a covid-19 infection is to maintain a safe distance of about 6 feet, wear a mask covering your mouth and nice, maintain hand hygiene, avoid crowded places,” Dr. Singh told Financial Express.com.
