Can Patients Who Have Recovered From COVID-19 Continue To Have Detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA In Upper Respiratory Specimens?
Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 can continue to have detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory specimens for up to 3 months after illness onset. However, replication-competent virus has not been reliably recovered and infectiousness is unlikely.
Are recovered persons with persistent positive test of COVID-19 infectious to others?
See full answerPersons who have tested persistently or recurrently positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA have, in some cases, had their signs and symptoms of COVID-19 improve. When viral isolation in tissue culture has been attempted in such persons in South Korea and the United States, live virus has not been isolated. There is no evidence to date that clinically recovered persons with persistent or recurrent detection of viral RNA have transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to others.Despite these observations, it’s no
Clinical Questions about COVID-19: Questions and Answers
How long can you test positive for COVID-19?
>People who have recovered from COVID-19 can continue to test positive for up to 3 months after their infection.
Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Documentation of Recovery from COVID-19
What does a negative SARS-CoV-2 antibody test mean?
A negative result on a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test means antibodies to the virus were not detected in your sample. It could mean: • You have not been infected with COVID-19 previously. • You had COVID-19 in the past but you did not develop or have not yet developed detectable antibodies.
Antibody (Serology) Testing for COVID-19: Information for Patients and Consumers | FDA
See full answerThe following applies to a person who has clinically recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection that was confirmed with a viral diagnostic test and then, within 3 months since the date of symptom onset of the previous illness episode (or date of positive viral diagnostic test if the person never experienced symptoms), is identified as a contact of a new case. If the person remains asymptomatic since the new exposure, then they do not need to be retested for SARS-CoV-2 and do not need to
Clinical Questions about COVID-19: Questions and Answers