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If I Still Test Positive for Virus Can I Stop Isolation?


Tests also differ in their sensitivity, and people differ in how they perform them. Dr. “Some people do a swab test and it’s like they’re barely touching their noses,” Gordon said. “Whereas with other individuals—in fact, with a family member recently, I had to be like, ‘Don’t hurt yourself,’ because they were really, really getting in there.”

Experts say that for long-term positive results, people who leave isolation before Day 10 should continue to take precautions, such as wearing a well-fitting mask.

Beyond that, scientists disagreed. Some suggested isolating people until they were antigen negative, even if it took more than 10 days.

Dr. “We can now tailor recommendations based on individual experience, using the rapid test results to guide us,” Grad said. “And now that we know some people may have long courses, it makes sense to me that if you’re positive you can continue to isolate, that you do that.”

But others said that as a matter of public health policy, it doesn’t make sense to ask most healthy people to isolate for more than 10 days or even continue testing.

Dr. “No one is saying that perhaps statistically, there are not some people who can get infected after Day 10,” Chin-Hong said. But people at this stage of infection are unlikely to play a large role in the spread of the virus, and continued testing could keep many people out of work or school without public health benefits, he said. “Also, you raise an equity issue,” he added, adding, “’Who in the world can test enough?’ as.”

Even then, experts say there are some situations where people need to continue testing and potentially isolating after Day 10. These include people whose symptoms do not improve and who are immunocompromised, as they may spread contagious viruses for a longer period of time. (The CDC recommends that people with compromised immune systems up to 20 days.)



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