How long COVID stays in body

[Avaco]

Hi everyone,

Please reply as I need to know how long COVID stays in the system.

My mom still COVID positive on her day no 35 + 7 days symptoms started. She she in ICU on vent since then very hard time.Please let me know.

[Chanlib]

My dad was tested last Thursday - which means he’s been covid positive for 9 weeks whilst in hospital + 1 week before he was admitted...10 weeks so far - drs have said it’s viral shedding (body still secreting the virus).

[Rgsable in reply to Chanlib]

Wow this mean that the virus stays more than 6 weeks in the body?

[Chanlib in reply to Rgsable]

It has for my dad and a few other patients on his ward the consultant said...it’s this viral shedding.

My mum had it for 6 weeks and I had it for 2 weeks 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Sepsur]

I don’t know that anyone has the definitive answer because there is so much they don’t know about this new virus. I have read sources that claim a person with few symptoms or asymptomatic can sheds the virus within a few days whereas other would appear not to be able to rid themselves of the virus for weeks - so not much help I’m afraid.

[Rgsable in reply to Sepsur]

Indeed

[thirtytwo]

Even though my partner is testing positive every week I am being told that more than likely the virus isn’t active as they aren’t seeing the chaos in his body. Also he is clinically improving.

For me I want him to be negative so he doesn’t have to be in isolation, so that his team don’t have to wear riot gear into him and most importantly he can go to other ICU ward and I can see him everyday. He is on day 47 + 14

[Sarhj]

My dad had it for about 3 weeks then we were finally able to get him plasma on April 30. He was retested on may 3 and came back negative. We can’t say for sure if it was the plasma that did it but I believe it definitely helped and I strongly recommend that you push for it for your mom. He no longer has the virus but is still on the ventilator.

[Dolphin011 in reply to Sarhj]

Hi Sarhj,

Glad to hear your dad is making progress!! Please may I ask where in the country you are as I believe plasma is not available everywhere.

Thanks x

[Sarhj in reply to Dolphin011]

Sorry not sure if you seen my other respond. We’re in Michigan!

[Dolphin011 in reply to Sarhj]

Apologies, I’m new to the group and still trying to navigate!

Wishing you all the best xx

[Avaco in reply to Sarhj]

Thanks for the reply Sarhj which country your dad is?

He he has tracheotomy or on ventilator?

[Sarhj in reply to Avaco]

No problem! We’re in Michigan, he’s currently on the ventilator and possibly going to start a tracheotomy soon

[Avaco in reply to Sarhj]

How many weeks he is on vent support?

As I’m interested in know as my mom is day 40 and on vent it’s very hard to see her 24/7 with tube going inside mouth.

She is still positive for COVID and drs here in Canada not performing trach I’d patient remain positive requested for retesting with aim for -ve result of COVID.

[Sarhj in reply to Avaco]

He’s been in the ICU for 5 weeks then started on the ventilator a little over 3 weeks now, they’ve been trying to wean him off for the past 10 days and not much progress with waking up (very little very slow) That’s why they’re now considering the tracheotomy.

[Mccarthy0702]

My dad test negative twice after 12 days in ICU , he still had all the other problems others have had and is still ventilator dependent after 7 weeks .

Don’t think the doctors really know the answer to some questions , one being how long the virus stays in the system .

[DrARDS]

Really interesting question and great thread.

We asked the doctors this very question as we are 7 weeks down and their response was the test is meaningless, so they won’t do it.

It won’t change their PPE or treatment strategy.

There are false positives and false negatives, so it isn’t reliable and as others have alluded to, you can have viral shedding even several weeks later, so universal precautions must remain.

I personally think they should test everyone, but only if said test is highly accurate.