what is the incubation period of covid

The incubation period of COVID-19 refers to the length of time between exposure to the virus and the development of symptoms. According to the CDC, if you have mild to moderate COVID-19, you may be contagious for 10 days from the first day you noticed symptoms. The incubation period of COVID-19 varies slightly depending on the variant you’ve contracted, and it can range from 2 to 14 days. However, some variants, like Omicron, have a shorter incubation period of around 3 to 4 days after infection before symptoms start to appear. Its important to note that people infected with SARS-CoV-2 can continue to experience symptoms for more than 4 weeks after initial infection, a condition known as "long COVID".