According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infected individuals can already become contagious one day after exposure. Since symptoms only appear 3 days after exposure, an individual harboring the virus is already infecting others for 2 days before he/she even suspects he/she has Omicron.
Omicron variant is also hard to detect during the asymptomatic stage. Although infected individuals begin to test positive 3 days after exposure or at the onset of symptoms, it won’t be until 2 days after that the test would be most accurate. Symptomatic individuals can have false negative results, dismiss the idea of having Omicron, and go about their usual activities.
We can transmit Omicron even before we know we have it, and continue transmitting it because we can test negative even if we already have symptoms.
So what can we do?
1. When exposed, assume you’re positive and isolate.
2. If you develop symptoms, treat accordingly. Most cases of Omicron are mild and require only simple treatments for fever, cough, and colds.
3. Get tested 5 days after exposure or 3 days after symptoms appear, whichever comes first. If positive, inform your close contacts. If negative, just monitor and treat your symptoms accordingly.
4. Be consistent and always follow the standard safety protocols – wear a mask, wash hands, observe social distancing, maintain good ventilation, get vaccinated when it’s available and you’re able.
DISCLAIMER: The timeline is the closest approximation based on current data. Not all cases will fall into this pattern. This should be taken into account during evaluation.
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