Coronavirus Incubation Period

What Is an Incubation Period?The incubation period is the number of days it takes for symptoms to appear after you’re infected with something. Health care professionals and government officials use this number to decide how long people need to stay away from others during an outbreak. It’s different for every condition.If you’ve been around someone who has the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, you’re at risk, too. That means you need to stay home until you know you’re in the clear. Health professionals call this self-quarantine. But when will you know you're sick? The answer depends on the COVID-19 incubation period.What Is the Incubation Period for COVID-19?Viruses are constantly changing, which sometimes leads to new strains called “variants.” Different COVID-19 variants can have different incubation periods.When researchers set out to learn the incubation period for the original strain of COVID-19, they studied dozens of confirmed cases reported between Jan. 4 and Feb. 24, 2020. The...