how soon after exposure to covid do symptoms appear

Symptoms of COVID-19 typically appear between 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus, with an average onset around 5 days. This period is known as the incubation period, during which the virus replicates in the body before symptoms manifest. The exact timing can vary depending on factors such as the infectious dose, the variant of the virus, and individual immune response. Some common early symptoms include sore throat, fever, cough, and runny nose, with other symptoms potentially appearing later. People can also be asymptomatic or presymptomatic during this period and still spread the virus.