What to Know About Life After Recovering from COVID
When people catch COVID-19, they are focused about getting better in the moment — monitoring your symptoms, staying hydrated, getting plenty of rest and quarantining. Not many people think about what happens after they recover. They may think it is over and done with but, unlike the cold and flu, there are still questions that come up after recovery.
Here are some things to be aware of after the worst of your COVID symptoms are over.
Don’t exit quarantine too soon
People are most contagious just before the appearance of COVID symptoms and for the first few days after the symptoms appear. However, even after the symptoms go away you can still spread the virus. It takes several more days for a person’s immune system to clear COVID from their body.
According to the CDC, your first day of isolation is the first full day after your symptoms developed or your test specimen was collected. Regardless of vaccination status, if you test positive for COVID you must stay home for 5 full days. If you are fever-free and your symptoms are improving or you did not have symptoms, you can end isolation after 5 full days. If symptoms still persist, you must quarantine for 10 full days and wear a tight-fitting mask in the presence of others.
Even after those 10 days, it is still recommended to not travel unnecessarily.
Some symptoms stay for way too long
Nobody likes being sick for an extended period of time. Thankfully, most people who contract COVID stop being sick after a few days. However, for some, certain symptoms can stick around much longer even after testing negative. Some examples of “long COVID” symptoms are fatigue and loss of taste and smell, which may continue after the rest of your symptoms have disappeared. Speak with your provider if you are experiencing symptoms even after quarantining for the recommended amount of time and testing negative for COVID.
There is a chance of reinfection
Once someone has COVID, they are less likely to get it again. Their body now has natural immunity and is able to fight off the virus should they come into contact with COVID again. However, in rare cases, people have become reinfected with COVID. Natural immunity can vary from person to person depending on how severe the first infection was, the general health of the person and other factors. There are also now multiple variants of COVID, meaning someone could recover from one variant and then quickly become infected with another. This is why it is important to follow health protocols even after recovery, such as wearing a mask and washing your hands frequently.
You do not have to fight COVID alone. Whether you are currently experiencing symptoms or have recovered from the illness, Midwest Express Clinic stands ready to help. Check in online at your nearest location to speak with a provider today.
If you need to be tested for COVID, please call ahead to make sure your location is providing tests. Due to the shortage in COVID tests, we cannot guarantee supply.
