I had covid, but the test still comes up positive. Can I go out?
September 28, 2024 3:30 PM Subscribe
I had covid and was only mildly sick for a few days. Now I feel completely back to normal, but the rapid antigen tests are still showing as positive. Can I leave my apartment and see others?
One of my close friends is immunocompromised. Should I avoid hanging out with her?
Would simply wearing a mask everywhere be the solution?
You should not hang out with your immunocompromised friend.
If your antigen test is still positive, I’d treat that as evidence that you’re most likely still contagious. If you must go out, you should wear a well fitting respirator and practice good mask hygiene with it, e.g. go outdoors if you must remove it to eat or drink.
CDC’s recommendations for the general public acknowledge that most of us are getting exposure constantly anyhow, and the guidance now prioritizes convenience over protecting others. However, institutions caring for the vulnerable are still behaving as though this virus is a threat, and setting guidelines accordingly. E.g. when my mother recently had Covid she was kept in isolation for ten days, because she lives in an assisted living facility with elderly and frail people, and their rules have not let up. Your approach with your immune compromised friend should be similarly cautious.
posted by eirias at 3:40 PM on September 28 [32 favorites]
If your antigen test is still positive, I’d treat that as evidence that you’re most likely still contagious. If you must go out, you should wear a well fitting respirator and practice good mask hygiene with it, e.g. go outdoors if you must remove it to eat or drink.
CDC’s recommendations for the general public acknowledge that most of us are getting exposure constantly anyhow, and the guidance now prioritizes convenience over protecting others. However, institutions caring for the vulnerable are still behaving as though this virus is a threat, and setting guidelines accordingly. E.g. when my mother recently had Covid she was kept in isolation for ten days, because she lives in an assisted living facility with elderly and frail people, and their rules have not let up. Your approach with your immune compromised friend should be similarly cautious.
posted by eirias at 3:40 PM on September 28 [32 favorites]
One of my close friends is immunocompromised. Should I avoid hanging out with her?
Of course you should not hang out with her, is my opinion. Ask her is my second opinion.
posted by dobbs at 3:54 PM on September 28 [19 favorites]
Of course you should not hang out with her, is my opinion. Ask her is my second opinion.
posted by dobbs at 3:54 PM on September 28 [19 favorites]
If your test is still positive, you still have COVID. Please don't give other people COVID. Especially not immunocompromised people, but since you don't know who is immunocompromised just by looking at them, it's best just to not give anyone COVID.
posted by hydropsyche at 5:05 PM on September 28 [32 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 5:05 PM on September 28 [32 favorites]
You shouldn't go out and see people until your rapid test is negative at least once, and some guidelines suggest not going out until it's been negative twice in 48 hours. You're not ready to go see people yet, and definitely not to see your immunocompromised friend.
posted by limeonaire at 5:32 PM on September 28 [8 favorites]
posted by limeonaire at 5:32 PM on September 28 [8 favorites]
Please ask any friends you're thinking about seeing, including but not limited to your immunocompromised friend, what they would want re: spending time with you. Be very transparent about the timeline of your illness and testing, and give people the information they need to make good choices for themselves. (But if your immunocompromiesd friend is like mine, the answer is going to be "absolutely not, call me when you've had several days of negative tests in a row.")
For non-friend things, if you must go indoors for things like errands or work at this point, go masked. Stay that way. If you need to drink or eat, go outdoors for that, until you have multiple days in a row of negative tests.
posted by Stacey at 5:37 PM on September 28
For non-friend things, if you must go indoors for things like errands or work at this point, go masked. Stay that way. If you need to drink or eat, go outdoors for that, until you have multiple days in a row of negative tests.
posted by Stacey at 5:37 PM on September 28
I'm immunocompromised. I would be aghast if someone spent time with me and had a positive covid test and it would permanently alter my relationship with that person. I wouldn't even ask, just don't see them until you aren't testing positive anymore.
Please at least mask in public, especially pharmacies and grocery stores where people like me sometimes have to go, until you stop testing positive.
posted by twelve cent archie at 5:45 PM on September 28 [27 favorites]
Please at least mask in public, especially pharmacies and grocery stores where people like me sometimes have to go, until you stop testing positive.
posted by twelve cent archie at 5:45 PM on September 28 [27 favorites]
Error on the side of caution. It will mean staying home a few days of your life and may have far reaching consequences.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 5:46 PM on September 28 [4 favorites]
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 5:46 PM on September 28 [4 favorites]
The current guidance from the CDC is that if the day you first experience symptoms is Day 0, you should isolate until day 5 and wear a mask around others from days 6-10. This assumes you’re not testing more than once though.
This is not my understanding of the updated CDC's guidance. It says you are to note when symptoms are getting better, not the first day that you experienced symptoms. Then you wait 24 more hours before resuming normal activities, and then for 5 more days you take added precautions during those normal activities. Here, they say, "Note that depending on the length of symptoms, this period could be shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19," which perhaps is where the day 5 version above came from.
With regard to positive COVID tests after that period, they note, "...some people, especially people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus for a longer period of time. For COVID-19, taking an antigen test can help you know how likely you are to spread the virus. A positive test tends to mean it is more likely that you can spread the virus to others."
And that's the version that the CDC went with because they "considered other factors such as the personal and societal costs of extended isolation." (Same link as above.) In my opinion, it's a little on the aggressive-return-to-society side. Even though I'm not immunocompromised, I'd prefer if people who had COVID stayed away from me for as long as they were testing positive, and at least let me know so I could decide.
posted by daisyace at 6:16 PM on September 28 [13 favorites]
This is not my understanding of the updated CDC's guidance. It says you are to note when symptoms are getting better, not the first day that you experienced symptoms. Then you wait 24 more hours before resuming normal activities, and then for 5 more days you take added precautions during those normal activities. Here, they say, "Note that depending on the length of symptoms, this period could be shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19," which perhaps is where the day 5 version above came from.
With regard to positive COVID tests after that period, they note, "...some people, especially people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus for a longer period of time. For COVID-19, taking an antigen test can help you know how likely you are to spread the virus. A positive test tends to mean it is more likely that you can spread the virus to others."
And that's the version that the CDC went with because they "considered other factors such as the personal and societal costs of extended isolation." (Same link as above.) In my opinion, it's a little on the aggressive-return-to-society side. Even though I'm not immunocompromised, I'd prefer if people who had COVID stayed away from me for as long as they were testing positive, and at least let me know so I could decide.
posted by daisyace at 6:16 PM on September 28 [13 favorites]
This Week In Virology's most recent clinical update covered this issue in a question sent in from a listener. This link should take you to the relevant part of the youtube recording with the question and their answer (only about 4 minutes or so total to watch.)
posted by gudrun at 6:44 PM on September 28 [1 favorite]
posted by gudrun at 6:44 PM on September 28 [1 favorite]
Do not hang around the immunocompromised. If you go out, wear a N95 mask (not just yet olde fabric or surgical) and do NOT take it off around other people, even to eat and drink, even for "just a minute." Go outside if you must consume food and get away from other people.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:49 PM on September 28 [4 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:49 PM on September 28 [4 favorites]
Let me put it this way:
--A friend wanted to visit my dying husband while her test was still faintly positive a good while after her symptoms were gone, and he was utterly horrified and dismayed. He didn't need to be upset right then.
--I myself am elderly and asthmatic, and so I mask indoors everywhere, and my friends know that. If a friend came around me while still positive, I would be deeply hurt. I know, because people have done it to me and it feels like I've had the ground fall out from under me.
--My elderly dad died of COVID last year.
I hope this helps you make the decision.
posted by Peach at 6:57 PM on September 28 [16 favorites]
--A friend wanted to visit my dying husband while her test was still faintly positive a good while after her symptoms were gone, and he was utterly horrified and dismayed. He didn't need to be upset right then.
--I myself am elderly and asthmatic, and so I mask indoors everywhere, and my friends know that. If a friend came around me while still positive, I would be deeply hurt. I know, because people have done it to me and it feels like I've had the ground fall out from under me.
--My elderly dad died of COVID last year.
I hope this helps you make the decision.
posted by Peach at 6:57 PM on September 28 [16 favorites]
You still have COVID. You are still contagious. You shouldn't go anywhere.
posted by shadygrove at 7:10 PM on September 28 [10 favorites]
posted by shadygrove at 7:10 PM on September 28 [10 favorites]
Mod note: One deleted, since it looks like CDC advice has been updated since the info mentioned in that comment.
posted by taz (staff) at 11:14 PM on September 28
posted by taz (staff) at 11:14 PM on September 28
You can be contagious and asymptomatic. If you are still testing positive, then you still have enough virus left in your system to infect others.
Avoid being around people except when necessary, wear a mask if you have to go out, absolutely do not go anywhere near anyone you know to be immunocompromised or otherwise vulnerable to Covid complications.
posted by Jacqueline at 12:45 AM on September 29 [1 favorite]
Avoid being around people except when necessary, wear a mask if you have to go out, absolutely do not go anywhere near anyone you know to be immunocompromised or otherwise vulnerable to Covid complications.
posted by Jacqueline at 12:45 AM on September 29 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I'll stay home until the test comes up negative. Good thing I'm a homebody anyway!
posted by figaro at 7:34 AM on September 29 [11 favorites]
posted by figaro at 7:34 AM on September 29 [11 favorites]
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posted by treetop89 at 3:37 PM on September 28 [9 favorites]