What happens if you still test positive after 10 days

As of February 18, 2021

• Some severely immunocompromised persons with COVID-19 may remain infectious beyond 20 days after their symptoms began and require additional SARS-CoV-2 testing and consultation with infectious diseases specialists and infection control experts.

Updates as of July 20, 2020

• A test-based strategy is no longer recommended to determine when to discontinue home isolation, except in certain circumstances.
• Symptom-based criteria were modified as follows:
  • Changed from “at least 72 hours” to “at least 24 hours” have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
  • Changed from “improvement in respiratory symptoms” to “improvement in symptoms” to address expanding list of symptoms associated with COVID-19.
• For patients with severe illness, duration of isolation for up to 20 days after symptom onset may be warranted. Consider consultation with infection control experts.
• For persons who never develop symptoms, isolation and other precautions can be discontinued 10 days after the date of their first positive RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Updates as of July 17, 2020

• Symptom-based criteria were modified as follows:
  • Changed from “at least 72 hours” to “at least 24 hours” have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications
  • Changed from “improvement in respiratory symptoms” to “improvement in symptoms” to address expanding list of symptoms associated with COVID-19

Updates as of May 29, 2020

Added information around the management of persons who may have prolonged viral shedding after recovery.

Updates as of May 3, 2020

• Changed the name of the ‘non-test-based strategy’ to the ‘symptom-based strategy’ for those with symptoms. Added a ‘time-based strategy’ and named the ‘test-based strategy’ for asymptomatic persons with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Extended the home isolation period from 7 to 10 days since symptoms first appeared for the symptom-based strategy in persons with COVID-19 who have symptoms and from 7 to 10 days after the date of their first positive test for the time-based strategy in asymptomatic persons with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. This update was made based on evidence suggesting a longer duration of viral shedding and will be revised as additional evidence becomes available. This time period will capture a greater proportion of contagious patients; however, it will not capture everyone.
• Removed specifying use of nasopharyngeal swab collection for the test-based strategy and linked to the Interim Guidelines for Collecting, Handling, and Testing Clinical Specimens for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), so that the most current specimen collection strategies are recommended.

Updates as of April 4, 2020

• Revised title to include isolation in all settings other than health settings, not just home.

On this page

• How long does COVID-19 last? When will I recover?
• Can someone test positive to COVID-19 even though they are no longer infected?
• Can I catch COVID-19 again and what should I do if so?
• Do I need a medical certificate or negative test result to return to work after isolating?
• When can I start exercising again?
• How long should I wait to have elective surgery after having COVID-19?
• Do I need the vaccine if I’ve already had COVID-19 in the past?
• Related information on Australian websites

How long does COVID-19 last? When will I recover?

The COVID-19 infection period varies from person to person. Most people with COVID-19 will have a mild illness and will recover in a few days.

Generally, people with COVID-19 are considered infectious from 48 hours before symptoms start. In high-risk settings, they may be considered infectious from 72 hours before symptoms start.

People with mild illness are generally considered recovered after 7 days if they have been asymptomatic or have not developed any new symptoms during this time. But some people may be infectious for up to 10 days.

Symptoms in children and babies are milder than those in adults, and some infected kids may not show any signs of being unwell.

People at higher risk of serious illness may take weeks to recover. If a person develops long-term health problems caused by COVID-19, symptoms most commonly continue for 2 to 8 weeks after infection.

Can someone test positive to COVID-19 even though they are no longer infected?

Sometimes, people can get a positive COVID-19 test result even though they no longer have COVID-19. This is because people with COVID-19 have infected cells in their body that release the virus into the environment through breathing, sneezing or coughing, or through their faeces and urine. This is called ‘viral shedding’.

After recovering from COVID-19, some people can have non-infectious fragments of the virus left in their bodies for some time.

Can I catch COVID-19 again and what should I do if so?

It is possible to get COVID-19 again after your recovery. If you get new COVID-19 symptoms after recovering from COVID-19, you should get tested again, regardless of whether you have had contact with a confirmed case. You should stay at home until you are well. People in the territories must report their results.

If you are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 and develop new symptoms after recovering from COVID-19, see your doctor. They may advise you to get tested for COVID-19 test as well as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself against reinfection. It’s also important to keep up measures like hand washing, wearing a mask and physical distancing.

Do I need a medical certificate or negative test result to return to work after isolating?

You don't need a medical certificate as evidence that you no longer have COVID-19, and your employer should not ask you to be tested to return to work.

RESTRICTIONS — Use the COVID-19 Restriction Checker to find out what you can and can't do in your state or territory.

When can I start exercising again?

Exercise plays an important role in COVID-19 recovery. If you’re recovering from moderate or severe illness you should speak with your healthcare provider before returning to exercise.

However, if your symptoms were mild, you can start exercising again if:

• you’ve had at least 7 days with no symptoms
• you’ve had 10 days of rest since symptoms started
• you’re no longer taking any medications such as paracetamol

Start with 15 minutes of light activity and see how you feel. This can include going for a walk or a bike ride. Pay attention to your heart rate and breathing as you exercise. Over time, you can slowly introduce longer and harder workouts.

If you have any of the following symptoms, stop exercising immediately and contact your healthcare provider:

• unexpected breathlessness
• chest pain or palpitations. If you experience severe central crushing chest pain lasting more than 10 minutes call 000
• signs of blood clotting, such as swollen calves

How long should I wait to have elective surgery after having COVID-19?

If you have a confirmed case of COVID-19, you shouldn’t have elective surgery unless postponing the procedure creates a greater risk to your life.

Your procedure should be delayed until you’re no longer infectious and you have recovered from COVID-19.

If you’re having non-urgent surgery (classified as category 2 and 3), it’s recommended that you wait 7 weeks after your first COVID-19 positive test. This applies to people who were asymptomatic (no symptoms) or symptomatic.

You should speak to your treating doctor about your circumstances.

Do I need the vaccine if I’ve already had COVID-19 in the past?

COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for people who've had COVID-19. If you’ve had a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection, you should delay COVID-19 vaccination for 3 months after recovering.

A longer gap between infection and vaccination is likely to lead to a better immune response and result in longer protection from reinfection.

Serological testing or other testing to detect current or previous infection with COVID-19 before vaccination is neither necessary nor recommended before vaccination.

You may be vaccinated earlier than the recommended 3-month interval if you:

• are significantly immunocompromised and may be at greater risk of getting COVID-19 again
• starting an immunosuppressant
• have a job that requires you to be vaccinated
• have a job that puts you at greater risk of being exposed to COVID-19
• about to overseas travel
• you cannot reschedule vaccination easily

You should not be vaccinated until you’ve recovered from the acute illness. People with a past COVID-19 infection should receive all available doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

People with prolonged symptoms from COVID-19 beyond 3 months should be vaccinated on a case-by-case basis. Speak to your healthcare provider.

A healthcare professional can consult with a specialist immunisation service for additional advice if needed.

BOOK YOUR VACCINATION — Use the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder to book your COVID vaccination or booster.

Related topics

Understanding post-COVID-19 symptoms and ‘long COVID’

While most people fully recover from having COVID-19, others have found it can take longer to get back to normal. Read more about post-COVID symptoms and 'long COVID' here.

Symptoms and when to get help

Learn to recognise mild, moderate and severe symptoms of COVID-19, and when to seek medical advice from your GP or another healthcare professional.

Are you still contagious after 10 days of Covid?

Can I go out after 10 days if I test positive?

How long do you test positive after having Covid?

When are you no longer contagious with Covid?