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CDC Study Says Omicron

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Variant's Incubation Period Is

About 3 Days—Here's What
More

That Means
It appears to be shorter than the incubation period of other COVID-19 variants,
which is important when it comes to testing and transmission.

By Ashley Abramson December 29, 2021

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified on Tuesday
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that Omicron—the newest variant of COVID-19—is the dominant strain in the
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US, accounting for about 58.6% of new cases as of December 25. And as the
newest iteration of COVID continues to spread across the US, researchers have
been learning more about how it differs from previous strains of SARS-Cov-2.
The most recent information: Along with its increased transmissibility and
potentially milder symptoms, Omicron may also have a shorter incubation
period than Delta and other strains.

According to new data, also released on Tuesday, the CDC suggests that it
may take only three days for people infected with the Omicron variant to exhibit
symptoms. The study, published for early release for the CDC's Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), investigated six cases of suspected Omicron
infections, all within the same household. According to the CDC, officials
suspected the Omicron strain, since the index patient (a 48-year-old man) had
recently returned from Nigeria.

Following reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing and

genomic sequencing of the samples, each family member was found to be
infected by the Omicron variant of COVID-19. (It should be noted that only one
member in the household was fully vaccinated; the rest were unvaccinated and
previously had COVID-19 or symptoms associated with the illness.)

Through further investigation, the CDC and Nebraska Health Department

determined the median incubation period—or the median time between
exposure and symptom onset—was just 73 hours, or about three days. The
CDC noted that this is shorter than the approximately four-day incubation
period for the Delta variant, and an approximately five-day incubation period for
other iterations of COVID-19.

The CDC data isn't the only information that suggests a shorter incubation
period for Omicron: According to a study from the Norwegian Institute of Public
Health (NIPH), attendees of a Christmas party held in Oslo also developed
symptoms of COVID-19 within three days of being exposed to the Omicron
variant. Of 111 attendees at the Christmas party—most of whom were fully
vaccinated—73% were subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19, with the
assumption that "that most people who [were] ill [were] infected with the
omicron variant," according to a press release. "Even though most of the cases
have not had a severe disease course at this time, almost all developed
symptoms relatively quickly after the Christmas party," the release added,
noting the virus' incubation period.

While we've all been inundated with more medical terminology than we'd like to
know throughout the course of the pandemic, an "incubation period" may be a
new one that many people have been hearing a bit more lately. Here, an
epidemiologist—along with other expert sources—help explain what a virus'
incubation period is, and why it matters, especially when it comes to the
Omicron variant.

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What is an incubation period, and

why is it important?
When a virus infects your body, you usually don't experience symptoms right
away—that's because it often takes time for the pathogen to replicate, or infect
enough of your body's cells to make you sick. The period between your initial
infection and your first symptoms of illness is called the incubation period.
"Even though you're already infected with the virus, you may not know you're ill
during the incubation period," epidemiologist Melissa Hawkins, PhD, director of
undergraduate programs in the department of Health Studies at American
University, tells Health.

While we still need more data to know for sure that Omicron has a shorter
incubation period, its apparent shorter incubation period is important for a few
reasons. First, is that it affects when people should test after an exposure.
Because many COVID-19 tests can only detect COVID-19 proteins or antigens
during certain points in the infection—usually when symptoms arise—testing
too soon or too late could result in a false negative (and cause infected people
to unknowingly spread the virus to others). "Timing does really matter and can
make a difference between a positive and a negative test," Hawkins says. "If
you were negative in the morning, you could be positive later that day or the
next day."

That's why, as of October 2020—when the Delta strain was dominant—the

CDC recommended vaccinated people test five to seven days after close
contact with a person suspected to have COVID-19 (unvaccinated people were
instructed to isolate immediately after exposure and watch for symptoms for 14
days). According to Hawkins, it's likely that health experts will start
recommending testing closer to three days after a possible Omicron exposure
to avoid unnecessary transmission. "We need to remember to update our
thinking about waiting to be tested and how long to wait to avoid a false
negative so we don't unknowingly transmit the virus to others," she says.

A shorter incubation period may also mean the virus becomes contagious
faster, according to reporting from The Atlantic. Essentially, a shorter incubation
period make a virus "much, much, much harder to control," Jennifer Nuzzo,
DrPH, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security,
recently told the outlet.

RELATED: How Long Does It Take for the COVID Booster to Be Effective?
Here's What Experts Say

Are you contagious during the

incubation period?
You certainly can be—we know that asymptomatic and presymptomatic people
may be contagious in the absence of symptoms. In fact, you may be most
contagious before you even have symptoms. A 2021 study published by
Boston University School of Public Health in JAMA Internal Medicine found that
people infected with COVID-19 were most contagious two days before and
three days after symptoms appeared. According to Hawkins, most
transmissions occur during that time frame, before people realize they are sick.
Then, as the viral load decreases over time, spreading the virus to others
becomes less likely.

The important takeaway here is that if you were in close contact with someone
who tested positive for COVID-19 or has COVID-19 symptoms, it's best to stay
home for a few days until you know for sure you're not infected. "Don't
disregard a runny nose, sore throat, or headache, because those are
symptoms, especially after an exposure," Hawkins says.

RELATED: The White House Has Released a Statement on the Omicron

Variant—Here's the Plan to Keep People Safe

Does a virus' incubation period

impact how long symptoms and
contagiousness last?
In short, no: How long a virus incubates before causing symptoms doesn't
affect how long the illness lasts—or how long people are contagious. Hawkins
says variables like vaccination status, age, and pre-existing health condition are
more important drivers. Still, two very similar vaccinated people may have
totally different experiences with COVID-19. "We know some of the key risk
factors that are likely to result in severe illness, but it's still a bit of a mystery
why one person in a household may get sick and another person may not."

To protect yourself and others from infection, it's important to keep up the
same safety measures health experts have been emphasizing since the
beginning: Get vaccinated and boosted if you're eligible—the CDC
recommends a booster shot two months after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine
and six months after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine, like the two-dose
Pfizer or Moderna shots.

Hawkins encourages continuing wearing a mask in public, and when you're

gathering with people from outside your household. Because the Omicron
strain spreads much more easily than other COVID-19 mutations, pay special
attention to the quality of your mask and that you wear your mask correctly.
Hawkins suggests double-masking in public if you only have access to cloth
masks, and ensuring your mask snugly covers your nose and mouth at all
times.

New strains and increased cases can be discouraging, but Hawkins says
continuing evidence-based safety measures is the key to protecting both your
physical and mental health. "There's a lot of room to be able to engage in the
activities and see people we want to see, because we now have so many more
effective tools to stay safe and mitigate the spread," she says.

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