COVID Timeline: How Long You're Contagious, When to Quarantine and More - NBC Chicago

"It is taking less time from when someone is exposed to COVID to potentially develop infection.

It is taking less time to develop symptoms, it is taking less time that someone may be infectious and it is, for many people, taking less time to recover.

For those without symptoms, CDC guidance states they are considered contagious at least two days before their positive test.

The CDC states that anyone who may have been exposed to someone with COVID should test five days after their exposure, or as soon as symptoms occur.

"If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19," the guidance states.

According to earlier CDC guidance, COVID symptoms can appear anywhere from two to 14 days after someone is exposed to the virus.

People who are positive for COVID should stay home for five days, the CDC said last month, changing guidance from the previously recommended 10 days.

If you still have symptoms after isolating for five days, stay home until you feel better and then start your five days of wearing a mask at all times.

For those who test positive for COVID but have no symptoms, day 0 is the day of the positive test.

Those who develop symptoms after testing positive must start their calculations over, however, with day 0 then becoming the first day of symptoms.

Treat a positive as a positive, stay home and isolate for five days."