Many of us woke up today to the shocking news that the President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for coronavirus. This is an important reminder for all of us about how quickly and quietly the virus can spread from one person to another.
Here’s what we know so far about COVID-19 transmission.
When are people most contagious?
According to the latest evidence, people most commonly spread the virus to each other 2-3 days before symptoms start. Most people seem to be most contagious 1-2 days before they become sick. Scientists think that the “viral burden” — how much virus you have replicating inside your body with the ability to spread to others — is linked to the severity of your symptoms.SLIDESHOW
How COVID-19 Affects Your Body
But this is still being worked out because some people never develop symptoms but are still contagious at some point during their infection.
Once someone is infected, it can be 5-6 days before symptoms start, though some people may not start feeling sick until 14 days after they were exposed (and some don’t end up feeling sick at all).