Covid-19 has been a substantial part of our lives since the start of the pandemic in early 2020.
As the scientific community and governments across the globe continue their race against time to understand the virus and decide on best practices, we are learning more and more about the implications of the virus.
One recent learning has been that some patients continue to test positive for Covid weeks and sometimes months after their first positive test.
But, how long can you test positive for Covid after catching it and when will you stop being contagious with the virus?
Most people will stop testing positive within ten days of experiencing symptoms but others will keep testing positive for weeks or months.
According to the The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI), the time it takes for you to start testing negative after catching Covid-19 depends on the severity of your case.
They say that fragments of Covid-19 RNA, the viral genetic material PCR tests try to detect, can remain in our bodies long after the infection is over and the virus has been cleared.
And, because PCR tests are extremely sensitive, having a few viral fragments of Covid-19 is enough to get a positive result.
The Alliance suggest that patients who test positive on a PCR test but negative on an antigen test probably have residual virus RNA and are not contagious.
However, if you test positive on both a PCR and an antigen test, then there is a good chance you are still infectious.
This is because antigen tests look for viral Covid-19 proteins, and if the test determines that you still have these proteins then the virus is still replicating in your system.
The NHS says that Covid-19 patients should not do another PCR test within 90 days of their positive test result unless they have new coronavirus symptoms or need to get tested for travel purposes.
At the moment, anyone who has coronavirus symptoms or who tests positive via a PCR or lateral flow test in England has to immediately self-isolate for at least five full days.
The day you test positive, or the day your symptoms begin, counts as day zero.
If you test negative on day 5 and day 6, and no longer have a temperature, you can end your isolation.
Boris Johnson has expressed his intention to set out a ‘Living with Covid-19’ strategy on February 21 and scrap the remaining pandemic restrictions, including self-isolation rules, by the end of the month.
Throughout the pandemic, the UK’s devolved nations have each made their own decisions about restrictions. Thus, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may retain some restrictions.
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