# Quarantine-- How long?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quarantine-how-long/849823>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [March 19, 2020, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quarantine-how-long/849823 "2020-03-19T18:25:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quarantine-how-long/849823/1 "2020-03-19T18:25:52Z")

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So, how does it work?

If you are symptom less for 14 days, you are clear to go about your regular daily routine? If you test positive, you are quarantined until you test negative? How about if you are showing symptoms? 14 days from end of symptoms? Why 14 days anyway.

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**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quarantine-how-long/849823/2 "2020-03-19T19:04:06Z")

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I’ve read at least one instance of needing two negative tests, but I don’t know how far apart, which jurisdiction, or what standard applies if you’re not in the minority that is able to receive testing in the first place.

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**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quarantine-how-long/849823/3 "2020-03-19T19:05:37Z")

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I’ve read at least one instance of needing two negative tests, but I don’t know how far apart, which jurisdiction, or what standard applies if you’re not in the minority that is able to receive testing in the first place.

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quarantine-how-long/849823/4 "2020-03-20T05:56:46Z")

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And 14 days because that seems to be the longest incubation period (i.e. time between exposure and developing symptoms), though most show symptoms [much faster.](https://www.jwatch.org/na51083/2020/03/13/covid-19-incubation-period-update).

So: if you’ve been exposed, you’ll almost certainly show symptoms well before the 14 days if infected, and after that you’re presumed non-infected.

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**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quarantine-how-long/849823/5 "2020-03-20T06:12:18Z")

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Advice in Ireland, for those who haven’t been tested, is that if you go into quarantine you stay there until the later of:

(a) 14 days; or

(b) 5 days after you last had any signs of fever.

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**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quarantine-how-long/849823/6 "2020-03-20T06:28:15Z")

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There is excellent factual information about the incubation period at the [worldometers](https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-incubation-period/)covid page