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When did you turn positive after your exposure?

Hi everyone. I am on day 6 post exposure. My exposure was that I had my mom in the passenger seat of my car while I was driving for about an hour and a half on Sunday, the next day she began with symptoms, and Tuesday morning tested positive (her and my father) on a rapid test. My husband is an RN that is able to bring home rapid tests if and when needed.
I haven't had symptoms. Today I feel a little achy  but that could just be my kids tiring me out! I tested on Wednesday, day 3...rapid test negative. Then again this morning...rapid test...day 6..negative. I know it can be up to 2 weeks, but generally most people would show positive by now, right?

Also, is riding in the car with an infected person the day before they had symptoms a big risk? With me driving and her in the passenger seat? Windows were up, due to it being winter.
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134578 tn?1693250592
You're still in the 2-week window, and so could still come down with the virus. (I think that lately they've shortened that window to 12 days, but no medical expert I've seen quoted has said "most people" will have shown symptoms by day 6.)

You don't mention if you and your mother were masked. If your contact was in the car for 1 1/2 hours and neither of you wore a mask, and you were side by side, and presumably were talking, it sounds like you had plenty of chances to get the virus.

There is some research that says about 40% of people in the same household as a person who got Covid, also got Covid. That seems to leave 60% who didn't get the virus. However, the research didn't say if it had to do with the type of contact in the house, or if some people are less likely to catch it than others. I assume you are quarantining from your husband, if he has to go to work?

Good luck, keep watching your symptoms and keep testing.

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Thanks for your reply. We did not have masks on in the car, as we see each other all of the time. The first few months after this took off, we stayed completely isolated from anyone, including them. But once my work opened back up and I had to return to work, my parents broke the barrier to watch my child so we didn't have to put him in daycare. They don't really go anywhere either. My husband works in a nursing home and gets tested twice a week. COVID went through his facility for months, but he remained safe and negative. So with all of that being said, we didn't wear masks in the car. When we got where we were going we did, but not just the two of us in the vehicle. She was sitting next to me and yes we were talking.

About the 6 day thing, I've just read numerous articles that say typically a majority of the people who contract it and get symptoms, get them by day 6.  Now of course I do not know which articles are trustworthy. Just that I have seen that a lot.
I am not quarantining away from my husband because we have 2 children and when he is at work, I have to take care of them. And they are around him as well. There is really no option. If we didn't have children I certainly would have isolated myself  from him. Also, because it was 2 days later before we found out they were positive.
I guess all I can do is wait. 2 rapid tests were negative, but I know I am still within the window. I guess I was just looking for others thoughts or experiences.
Keep in mind that the rapid tests are not very accurate no matter how long it's been.  Several of them of course make the accuracy a lot higher.  A PCR test would be better.  Understand you say you can't isolate, but that's the guidance.  You could have it and be asymptomatic but still be a spreader, so the fact you show no symptoms has nothing to do with whether or not you have it.  Most people don't have symptoms, especially young people.  But they're the ones spreading it to everyone else.  It's a tough time, we all hope you are free of it.  But again, if you were following CDC guidance to the letter, and I know a lot of people just can't because of the lives they live, you would be isolating and making arrangements for your children, such as your husband taking off work until you were certain you didn't have it.  That's what folks who can afford to do that and have homes that are suitable to do that do.  My wife and I went through something where her Mom died and she had to fly home to be with her Dad, but that meant a lot of potential exposure both on the way and to her nephews, who are of the young age that are spreading the disease everywhere.  We have a small home without any real place to isolate, and with her Mom having just died, the last thing she needed was to not have me around, so we just risked it.  Fortunately, no problems, and let's hope it's the same for you.  Most humans haven't gotten it.  Peace.
I agree with the above statements. You are probably positive, especially because you are starting to develop symptoms. You can get it by breathing the air someone has been in that is positive for 3 hours after the person was there. In other words, it is air borne. You have to self quarantine. I would get tested so that you can find out if you are positive. But as long as they are positive (which can be about a month or two after getting it, you can contract it then spread it to others. It can be asymptomatic, moderate disease or lethal. Some people have mild or moderate symptoms but then develop chronic disease. So you should get advice from your doctor and get tested.
mkh9
Well just to update. I am now on day 9 post exposure. 3 rapid tests have been negative. One done yesterday  evening. I felt kind of crappy yesterday. Nose was runny, sneezing a lot (which my nose is always so dry and i hardly ever sneeze), felt like i had minor chills and body aches but no fever (99.3 one time and was the highest), and also just felt lightheaded on and off, no energy. So I got kind of worried at that point. My husband brought home another rapid last night, which was negative. So it must have been something else bothering me. Or I am being paranoid. No one else in the house has developed any symptoms either.
Good to hear that all tests have been negative. 74% of transmission is in households and when people let their guard down.

This is why lock downs don't work! Most states that didn't lock down, FL as one example have least cases and hospitals are not overfilled.
Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see lock downs are actually doing more harm then good. If data show 74% is spread in the home why in God's name are these wacko governors locking people up in their homes!
Yes, transmissions occur when people fail to follow the proscribed distancing recommendations, such as having large gatherings in their home.  People have large gatherings in their home because they are trying to subvert lockdowns that prohibit them from visiting commercial venues.

I don't know where you're getting your data for Florida, but it's not even close to accurate.  Florida is 3rd out of 50 for total cases, 4th out of 50 for total deaths, and 2nd out of 50 for active cases. (https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/)

Countries whose leadership took a "lock down quickly, and hard" approach are now either totally or nearly COVID-free.  The reason lockdowns in the US aren't working as well is down to the populace, who refuse to practice social distancing and do everything possible to subvert measures that would reduce transmission.
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