🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 0 (from laksa015)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa000.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/","crawl_time":1775057141,"first_indexed_time":1644350276,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"edu,northeastern!news,\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/ s443","src_root_hash":"12761418857983855600","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Can You Get COVID Twice in 3 Months?","meta_descriptions":["The CDC suggests that you don't take a COVID test in the 90 days following an infection. But that doesn’t mean you get a free pass from COVID."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Testing has become a vital tool for people navigating semi-normal life as the pandemic drags on. We’re learning\nhow and when\nto test ourselves for the virus that causes COVID-19 to minimize the risk of spreading it when traveling, visiting family, or going to sporting events or concerts.\nBut for those who have contracted, and recovered from, COVID-19, the public health guidance is to\nskip testing\nfor 90 days, unless you have symptoms. That’s because there’s a\nchance\nthat you might falsely test positive.\nWhat is going on in your body during those 90 days?\n“There’s pretty clear evidence now that even after individuals are no longer infectious, there are remnants of viral genetic material in the nasal passages that can be picked up by PCR tests as far out as three months after infection,” explains\nNeil Maniar\n, director of the master of public health program, associate chair of the department of health sciences, and professor of public health practice at Northeastern.\n(Left) Neil Maniar, director of the master of public health program and professor of the practice; (Right) Mansoor Amiji, university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. Photos by Matthew Modoono\/Northeastern University\nHowever, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their quarantine guidelines to five days for people whose symptoms and fever have subsided, many public health experts advocated for adding a test-out component to that shortened timeline. So could you end up stuck in quarantine longer than necessary because of a false positive test?\nThat’s unlikely, Maniar says, because the recommendation is to test-out using an antigen test (that’s what the majority of at-home tests are) rather than a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. PCR tests are highly sensitive and detect the genetic material (in this case, RNA) of the virus, which is why they might pick up any lingering inactive viral bits after an infection has subsided.\nAntigen tests detect proteins and are less sensitive, which means that they require more of the virus to be present—and a positive may mean the virus is actively replicating in your body. So if you test positive on an antigen test, you’re probably not out of the woods yet.\nAnother reason the CDC advises against asymptomatic testing for 90 days after having COVID-19 is that if you are infected, your immune system is going to generate antibodies, so your immunity to the virus will be boosted, says\nMansoor Amiji\n, university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern.\nEssentially, since your body has recent experience fighting the virus, its defenses are primed.\n“The part that is not clear is how rapidly that decline occurs in the antibody levels,” Amiji says. “Initially, yes, you would be protected from a second infection, but if that decline in antibody levels is rapid from the infection, then you may not necessarily have enough of the antibodies to prevent a second infection.”\nAnother wrinkle: If another variant of the coronavirus sweeps through, the antibodies generated by your initial infection might not be as effective against the new variant, Amiji adds.\nIn other words, you might not get a free pass for 90 days.\nThere’s a lot of variability across those three months, Maniar says. Take the scenario in which someone tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 1, for example. Their 90-day-period would end on April 1. If they test positive on a PCR test in late January, well after their symptoms ended (and they don’t currently have any symptoms), it’s likely that the test simply picked up remnants of the initial infection. They might decide to back it up with an antigen test.\nBut, Maniar says, if they test positive on, say, March 30, it’s probably a new infection—especially if they’re symptomatic. “It gets a little fuzzy as you getaround that 90-day mark,” he says.\nThe tricky thing, Maniar says, is that “individual circumstances play a big role in this. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.”\n“Navigating the current situation is so challenging,” he says. Public health guidelines change as scientists learn more about the virus, the vaccines, and infection-induced immunity—and as the virus mutates, too. Maniar suggests keeping up-to-date on the latest guidelines, and says, “We have the right tools to help us navigate this.”\nFor media inquiries\n, please contact Marirose Sartoretto at\nm.sartoretto@northeastern.edu\nor 617-373-5718.","attrs_markdown":"[Skip to content](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/#site-content)\n\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/contact\/)\n- [Faculty Experts](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/faculty-experts)\n- [In the Press](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/in-the-media)\n- [Media Inquiries](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/media-inquiries)\n- [Newsletter](https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/northeastern\/sign-up-form)\n- [Parents & Families](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/parents)\n- [Faculty & Staff](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/faculty-staff\/)\n\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/northeastern)\n- [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/northeasternglobalnews)\n- [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/northeastern-university\/)\n- [Tiktok](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@northeasternu)\n- [X (Twitter)](https:\/\/x.com\/northeastern)\n- [Youtube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Northeastern\/featured)\n\n- [NU & MMC Merger FAQ](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/marymount-manhatten-college-merger-faq\/)\n- [Safe Campuses, Civil Discourse FAQ](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/safe-campuses-civil-discourse-faq\/)\n- [Federal Landscape FAQ](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/federal-landscape-faq\/)\n\nApril 1, 2026\n\n# [You’ve had COVID-19. Do you get a free pass for a while?](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/)\n\n## Editor's Picks\n[![Two ships sailing in the distance of the Strait of Hormuz on a grey, cloudy day.](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Strait-of-Hormuz1400.jpg?w=131)What is the Strait of Hormuz, and why does it matter?](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/19\/what-is-the-straight-of-hormuz\/)\n\n[![Ryan Gosling sits in a space shuttle in the film \"Project Hail Mary.\"](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ProjectHailMary1400.jpg?w=131)What ‘Project Hail Mary’ gets right — and wrong — about astrophysics](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/19\/project-hail-mary-accuracy-astrophysics\/)\n\n## Recent Stories\n[Researchers expand the representation of women in medical research](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/31\/medical-research-representation-women\/)\n\n[Artemis II lunar flyby marks new era of space competition, expert says](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/31\/artemis-ii-moon-launch\/)\n\n- [University News](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/university-news\/)\n- [World & National News](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/world-news\/)\n- [Science & Technology](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/science-technology\/)\n- [Entrepreneurship](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/tag\/entrepreneurship)\n- [Arts & Entertainment](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/arts-entertainment\/)\n- [Business](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/business\/)\n- [Artificial Intelligence](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/tag\/artificial-intelligence)\n- [Health](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/health\/)\n- [Society & Culture](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/society-culture\/)\n- [Sports](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/sports\/)\n\n- [Research](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/research\/)\n\n- [NU & MMC Merger FAQ](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/marymount-manhatten-college-merger-faq\/)\n- [Safe Campuses, Civil Discourse FAQ](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/safe-campuses-civil-discourse-faq\/)\n- [Federal Landscape FAQ](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/federal-landscape-faq\/)\n\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/contact\/)\n- [Faculty Experts](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/faculty-experts)\n- [In the Press](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/in-the-media)\n- [Media Inquiries](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/media-inquiries)\n- [Newsletter](https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/northeastern\/sign-up-form)\n- [Parents & Families](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/parents)\n- [Faculty & Staff](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/faculty-staff\/)\n\n- [University News](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/university-news\/)\n- [World & National News](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/world-news\/)\n- [Science & Technology](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/science-technology\/)\n- [Entrepreneurship](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/tag\/entrepreneurship)\n- [Arts & Entertainment](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/arts-entertainment\/)\n- [Business](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/business\/)\n- [Artificial Intelligence](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/tag\/artificial-intelligence)\n- [Health](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/health\/)\n- [Society & Culture](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/society-culture\/)\n- [Sports](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/sports\/)\n\n- [Research](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/research\/)\n\n# You’ve had COVID-19. Do you get a free pass for a while?\nby  **[Eva Botkin-Kowacki](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/author\/ebotkinkowacki\/)**\n\nFebruary 3, 2022\n\n## Share\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/)\n- [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/&title=You%E2%80%99ve%20had%20COVID-19.%20Do%20you%20get%20a%20free%20pass%20for%20a%20while?)\n- [Twitter](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=You%E2%80%99ve%20had%20COVID-19.%20Do%20you%20get%20a%20free%20pass%20for%20a%20while?%20https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/%20via%20Northeastern%20Global%20News)\n\n![](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Positivetest1400.jpg?w=1024)\n\nA positive result of rapid antigen test and a negative result of the test in the background are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on January 29, 2021. Photo by Jakub Porzycki\/NurPhoto via AP\n\nTesting has become a vital tool for people navigating semi-normal life as the pandemic drags on. We’re learning [**how and when**](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2021\/12\/20\/which-covid-test-should-i-get\/) to test ourselves for the virus that causes COVID-19 to minimize the risk of spreading it when traveling, visiting family, or going to sporting events or concerts.\n\nBut for those who have contracted, and recovered from, COVID-19, the public health guidance is to [**skip testing**](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/your-health\/quarantine-isolation.html#:~:text=If%20you%20had%20COVID-19,for%2010%20days%20after%20exposure.) for 90 days, unless you have symptoms. That’s because there’s a *chance* that you might falsely test positive.\n\nWhat is going on in your body during those 90 days?\n\n“There’s pretty clear evidence now that even after individuals are no longer infectious, there are remnants of viral genetic material in the nasal passages that can be picked up by PCR tests as far out as three months after infection,” explains [**Neil Maniar**](https:\/\/bouve.northeastern.edu\/bchs\/directory\/neil-maniar\/), director of the master of public health program, associate chair of the department of health sciences, and professor of public health practice at Northeastern.\n\n![](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ManiarMansoor.jpg?resize=590,392)\n\n(Left) Neil Maniar, director of the master of public health program and professor of the practice; (Right) Mansoor Amiji, university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. Photos by Matthew Modoono\/Northeastern University\n\nHowever, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their quarantine guidelines to five days for people whose symptoms and fever have subsided, many public health experts advocated for adding a test-out component to that shortened timeline. So could you end up stuck in quarantine longer than necessary because of a false positive test?\n\nThat’s unlikely, Maniar says, because the recommendation is to test-out using an antigen test (that’s what the majority of at-home tests are) rather than a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. PCR tests are highly sensitive and detect the genetic material (in this case, RNA) of the virus, which is why they might pick up any lingering inactive viral bits after an infection has subsided.\n\nAntigen tests detect proteins and are less sensitive, which means that they require more of the virus to be present—and a positive may mean the virus is actively replicating in your body. So if you test positive on an antigen test, you’re probably not out of the woods yet.\n\nAnother reason the CDC advises against asymptomatic testing for 90 days after having COVID-19 is that if you are infected, your immune system is going to generate antibodies, so your immunity to the virus will be boosted, says [**Mansoor Amiji**](https:\/\/bouve.northeastern.edu\/bchs\/directory\/mansoor-amiji\/), university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern.\n\n[![](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/012122_KN95_02.jpg?w=1024)](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/01\/21\/fake-n95-kn95-masks\/)\n\n[How do I tell a fake N-95 or KN95 from a real one?](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/)\n\nEssentially, since your body has recent experience fighting the virus, its defenses are primed.\n\n“The part that is not clear is how rapidly that decline occurs in the antibody levels,” Amiji says. “Initially, yes, you would be protected from a second infection, but if that decline in antibody levels is rapid from the infection, then you may not necessarily have enough of the antibodies to prevent a second infection.”\n\nAnother wrinkle: If another variant of the coronavirus sweeps through, the antibodies generated by your initial infection might not be as effective against the new variant, Amiji adds.\n\nIn other words, you might not get a free pass for 90 days.\n\n[![](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Covid_test_.jpeg?w=1024)](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/06\/09\/covid-19-twice-within-90-days\/)\n\n[Can you get COVID-19 twice within 90 days? Here’s why it’s more likely now than ever.](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/)\n\nThere’s a lot of variability across those three months, Maniar says. Take the scenario in which someone tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 1, for example. Their 90-day-period would end on April 1. If they test positive on a PCR test in late January, well after their symptoms ended (and they don’t currently have any symptoms), it’s likely that the test simply picked up remnants of the initial infection. They might decide to back it up with an antigen test.\n\nBut, Maniar says, if they test positive on, say, March 30, it’s probably a new infection—especially if they’re symptomatic. “It gets a little fuzzy as you getaround that 90-day mark,” he says.\n\nThe tricky thing, Maniar says, is that “individual circumstances play a big role in this. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.”\n\n“Navigating the current situation is so challenging,” he says. Public health guidelines change as scientists learn more about the virus, the vaccines, and infection-induced immunity—and as the virus mutates, too. Maniar suggests keeping up-to-date on the latest guidelines, and says, “We have the right tools to help us navigate this.”\n\n[***For media inquiries***](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/media-inquiries\/)*, please contact Marirose Sartoretto at* [*m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu*](mailto:m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu) *or 617-373-5718.*\n\nby  **[Eva Botkin-Kowacki](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/author\/ebotkinkowacki\/)**\n\nFebruary 3, 2022\n\n## Share\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/)\n- [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/&title=You%E2%80%99ve%20had%20COVID-19.%20Do%20you%20get%20a%20free%20pass%20for%20a%20while?)\n- [Twitter](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=You%E2%80%99ve%20had%20COVID-19.%20Do%20you%20get%20a%20free%20pass%20for%20a%20while?%20https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2022\/02\/03\/can-you-get-covid-twice\/%20via%20Northeastern%20Global%20News)\n\n## More by Eva Botkin-Kowacki\n[This Northeastern graduate hiked the entire Appalachian Trail—in the winter](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/?post_type=post&p=162623)\n\n[Moderna has an Omicron-specific booster shot. Does it change anything?](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/?post_type=post&p=134607)\n\n[These fish live in sub-freezing waters. Why are so many getting sick?](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/?post_type=post&p=133790)\n\n## Editor's Picks\n[What is the Strait of Hormuz, and why does it matter?](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/19\/what-is-the-straight-of-hormuz\/)\n\n[What ‘Project Hail Mary’ gets right — and wrong — about astrophysics](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/19\/project-hail-mary-accuracy-astrophysics\/)\n\n[Research into great-grandfather’s past reveals Holocaust history](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/17\/melina-coy-holocaust-history-gideon-klein-lecture\/)\n\n[What an abandoned monkey and his IKEA orangutan tell us about humans](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/13\/punch-the-monkey\/)\n\n[Nobles go, bishops stay. Changes in Parliament’s House of Lords](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/13\/house-of-lords-uk\/)\n\n## Featured Posts\n[Officials capture Nicolás Maduro, strike Caracas: Is the U.S. at war?](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/01\/03\/us-captures-nicolas-maduro-regime-change\/)\n\n[Was the death of Shakespeare’s son Hamnet inspiration for Hamlet?](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/01\/02\/hamnet-movie\/)\n\n[No red blood cells? No problem. Icefish, meet the Asian noodlefish](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/01\/01\/asian-noodlefish-red-blood-cells\/)\n\n[Why we get — and how to beat — the ‘holiday blues’](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2025\/12\/19\/holiday-blues\/)\n\n[Reiner killings an ‘unusual form’ of family violence](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2025\/12\/19\/reiner-murder-patricide-matricide\/)\n\n## Science & Technology\n[![An illustration that depicts a few white female figures surrounded by black male figures, all standing under a microphone.](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1400x933Updated_women-underrepresentation-in-medical-research.jpg?w=163)Researchers expand the representation of women in medical research](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/31\/medical-research-representation-women\/)\n\n[![Artemis II crew members in blue space suits standing in front of the rocket, which is set against a blue sky.](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Artemis1400.jpg?w=163)Artemis II lunar flyby marks new era of space competition, expert says](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/31\/artemis-ii-moon-launch\/)\n\n[![Researcher Juner Zhu, wearing safety glasses and gloves, reaches into a lab chamber while working on electric vehicle battery research at Northeastern’s Kostas Research Institute in Burlington, Massachusetts.](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/032726_MM_Juner_Zhu_017.jpg?w=163)Research lays the groundwork for longer lasting batteries](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/30\/why-batteries-eventually-fail-resear\/)\n\n## Recent Stories\n[![A photo looking through the eyepiece of a microscope at a mosquito.](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/mosquito-1400.jpg?w=163)Research reevaluates the economic burden of dengue on Puerto Rico](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/30\/dengue-economic-burden-research\/)\n\n[![A COVID-19 test lying flat with a droplet falling from a syringe.](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/COVIDtest1400.jpg?w=163)What you should know about the new COVID-19 ‘Cicada’ variant](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/27\/new-covid-19-cicada-variant\/)\n\n[![A hand holds a tray of small, red test liquids steady and places a pipette in one. The Image is reflected in a table surface.](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stem_cells_1400.jpg?w=163)These researchers use nasal stem cells to help damaged nerves regrow](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2026\/03\/27\/nerve-damage-repaired-nasal-stem-cells\/)\n\n# [You’ve had COVID-19. Do you get a free pass for a while?](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/)\n- [University News](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/university-news\/)\n- [World & National News](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/world-news\/)\n- [Science & Technology](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/science-technology\/)\n- [Entrepreneurship](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/tag\/entrepreneurship)\n- [Arts & Entertainment](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/arts-entertainment\/)\n- [Business](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/business\/)\n- [Artificial Intelligence](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/tag\/artificial-intelligence)\n- [Health](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/health\/)\n- [Society & Culture](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/society-culture\/)\n- [Sports](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/category\/sports\/)\n\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/contact\/)\n- [Faculty Experts](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/faculty-experts)\n- [In the Press](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/in-the-media)\n- [Media Inquiries](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/media-inquiries)\n- [Newsletter](https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/northeastern\/sign-up-form)\n- [News Hubs](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/)\n  - [Parents & Families](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/parents)\n  - [NGN Research](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/research\/)\n  - [Faculty & Staff](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/faculty-staff)\n\n[Large N with \"Lux, Veritas, Virtus\" overlayed](https:\/\/northeastern.edu\/)\n\n© 2026  [Northeastern University](https:\/\/www.northeastern.edu\/)\n\n[Privacy Policy](https:\/\/northeastern.edu\/privacy-information)\n\n[Cookie Preferences]()\n\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/northeastern)\n- [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/northeasternglobalnews)\n- [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/northeastern-university\/)\n- [Tiktok](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@northeasternu)\n- [X (Twitter)](https:\/\/x.com\/northeastern)\n- [Youtube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Northeastern\/featured)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Testing has become a vital tool for people navigating semi-normal life as the pandemic drags on. We’re learning [**how and when**](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/2021\/12\/20\/which-covid-test-should-i-get\/) to test ourselves for the virus that causes COVID-19 to minimize the risk of spreading it when traveling, visiting family, or going to sporting events or concerts.\n\nBut for those who have contracted, and recovered from, COVID-19, the public health guidance is to [**skip testing**](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/your-health\/quarantine-isolation.html#:~:text=If%20you%20had%20COVID-19,for%2010%20days%20after%20exposure.) for 90 days, unless you have symptoms. That’s because there’s a *chance* that you might falsely test positive.\n\nWhat is going on in your body during those 90 days?\n\n“There’s pretty clear evidence now that even after individuals are no longer infectious, there are remnants of viral genetic material in the nasal passages that can be picked up by PCR tests as far out as three months after infection,” explains [**Neil Maniar**](https:\/\/bouve.northeastern.edu\/bchs\/directory\/neil-maniar\/), director of the master of public health program, associate chair of the department of health sciences, and professor of public health practice at Northeastern.\n\n![](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ManiarMansoor.jpg?resize=590,392)\n\n(Left) Neil Maniar, director of the master of public health program and professor of the practice; (Right) Mansoor Amiji, university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. Photos by Matthew Modoono\/Northeastern University\n\nHowever, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their quarantine guidelines to five days for people whose symptoms and fever have subsided, many public health experts advocated for adding a test-out component to that shortened timeline. So could you end up stuck in quarantine longer than necessary because of a false positive test?\n\nThat’s unlikely, Maniar says, because the recommendation is to test-out using an antigen test (that’s what the majority of at-home tests are) rather than a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. PCR tests are highly sensitive and detect the genetic material (in this case, RNA) of the virus, which is why they might pick up any lingering inactive viral bits after an infection has subsided.\n\nAntigen tests detect proteins and are less sensitive, which means that they require more of the virus to be present—and a positive may mean the virus is actively replicating in your body. So if you test positive on an antigen test, you’re probably not out of the woods yet.\n\nAnother reason the CDC advises against asymptomatic testing for 90 days after having COVID-19 is that if you are infected, your immune system is going to generate antibodies, so your immunity to the virus will be boosted, says [**Mansoor Amiji**](https:\/\/bouve.northeastern.edu\/bchs\/directory\/mansoor-amiji\/), university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern.\n\nEssentially, since your body has recent experience fighting the virus, its defenses are primed.\n\n“The part that is not clear is how rapidly that decline occurs in the antibody levels,” Amiji says. “Initially, yes, you would be protected from a second infection, but if that decline in antibody levels is rapid from the infection, then you may not necessarily have enough of the antibodies to prevent a second infection.”\n\nAnother wrinkle: If another variant of the coronavirus sweeps through, the antibodies generated by your initial infection might not be as effective against the new variant, Amiji adds.\n\nIn other words, you might not get a free pass for 90 days.\n\nThere’s a lot of variability across those three months, Maniar says. Take the scenario in which someone tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 1, for example. Their 90-day-period would end on April 1. If they test positive on a PCR test in late January, well after their symptoms ended (and they don’t currently have any symptoms), it’s likely that the test simply picked up remnants of the initial infection. They might decide to back it up with an antigen test.\n\nBut, Maniar says, if they test positive on, say, March 30, it’s probably a new infection—especially if they’re symptomatic. “It gets a little fuzzy as you getaround that 90-day mark,” he says.\n\nThe tricky thing, Maniar says, is that “individual circumstances play a big role in this. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.”\n\n“Navigating the current situation is so challenging,” he says. Public health guidelines change as scientists learn more about the virus, the vaccines, and infection-induced immunity—and as the virus mutates, too. Maniar suggests keeping up-to-date on the latest guidelines, and says, “We have the right tools to help us navigate this.”\n\n[***For media inquiries***](https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/media-inquiries\/)*, please contact Marirose Sartoretto at* [*m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu*](mailto:m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu) *or 617-373-5718.*","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/
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First Indexed	2022-02-08 19:57:56 (4 years ago)
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Meta Title	Can You Get COVID Twice in 3 Months?
Meta Description	The CDC suggests that you don't take a COVID test in the 90 days following an infection. But that doesn’t mean you get a free pass from COVID.
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Boilerpipe Text	Testing has become a vital tool for people navigating semi-normal life as the pandemic drags on. We’re learning how and when to test ourselves for the virus that causes COVID-19 to minimize the risk of spreading it when traveling, visiting family, or going to sporting events or concerts. But for those who have contracted, and recovered from, COVID-19, the public health guidance is to skip testing for 90 days, unless you have symptoms. That’s because there’s a chance that you might falsely test positive. What is going on in your body during those 90 days? “There’s pretty clear evidence now that even after individuals are no longer infectious, there are remnants of viral genetic material in the nasal passages that can be picked up by PCR tests as far out as three months after infection,” explains Neil Maniar , director of the master of public health program, associate chair of the department of health sciences, and professor of public health practice at Northeastern. (Left) Neil Maniar, director of the master of public health program and professor of the practice; (Right) Mansoor Amiji, university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University However, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their quarantine guidelines to five days for people whose symptoms and fever have subsided, many public health experts advocated for adding a test-out component to that shortened timeline. So could you end up stuck in quarantine longer than necessary because of a false positive test? That’s unlikely, Maniar says, because the recommendation is to test-out using an antigen test (that’s what the majority of at-home tests are) rather than a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. PCR tests are highly sensitive and detect the genetic material (in this case, RNA) of the virus, which is why they might pick up any lingering inactive viral bits after an infection has subsided. Antigen tests detect proteins and are less sensitive, which means that they require more of the virus to be present—and a positive may mean the virus is actively replicating in your body. So if you test positive on an antigen test, you’re probably not out of the woods yet. Another reason the CDC advises against asymptomatic testing for 90 days after having COVID-19 is that if you are infected, your immune system is going to generate antibodies, so your immunity to the virus will be boosted, says Mansoor Amiji , university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. Essentially, since your body has recent experience fighting the virus, its defenses are primed. “The part that is not clear is how rapidly that decline occurs in the antibody levels,” Amiji says. “Initially, yes, you would be protected from a second infection, but if that decline in antibody levels is rapid from the infection, then you may not necessarily have enough of the antibodies to prevent a second infection.” Another wrinkle: If another variant of the coronavirus sweeps through, the antibodies generated by your initial infection might not be as effective against the new variant, Amiji adds. In other words, you might not get a free pass for 90 days. There’s a lot of variability across those three months, Maniar says. Take the scenario in which someone tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 1, for example. Their 90-day-period would end on April 1. If they test positive on a PCR test in late January, well after their symptoms ended (and they don’t currently have any symptoms), it’s likely that the test simply picked up remnants of the initial infection. They might decide to back it up with an antigen test. But, Maniar says, if they test positive on, say, March 30, it’s probably a new infection—especially if they’re symptomatic. “It gets a little fuzzy as you getaround that 90-day mark,” he says. The tricky thing, Maniar says, is that “individual circumstances play a big role in this. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.” “Navigating the current situation is so challenging,” he says. Public health guidelines change as scientists learn more about the virus, the vaccines, and infection-induced immunity—and as the virus mutates, too. Maniar suggests keeping up-to-date on the latest guidelines, and says, “We have the right tools to help us navigate this.” For media inquiries , please contact Marirose Sartoretto at m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu or 617-373-5718.
Markdown	[Skip to content](https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/#site-content) - [Contact Us](https://news.northeastern.edu/contact/) - [Faculty Experts](https://news.northeastern.edu/faculty-experts) - [In the Press](https://news.northeastern.edu/in-the-media) - [Media Inquiries](https://news.northeastern.edu/media-inquiries) - [Newsletter](https://mailchi.mp/northeastern/sign-up-form) - [Parents & Families](https://news.northeastern.edu/parents) - [Faculty & Staff](https://news.northeastern.edu/faculty-staff/) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/northeastern) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/northeasternglobalnews) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/school/northeastern-university/) - [Tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@northeasternu) - [X (Twitter)](https://x.com/northeastern) - [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/user/Northeastern/featured) - [NU & MMC Merger FAQ](https://news.northeastern.edu/marymount-manhatten-college-merger-faq/) - [Safe Campuses, Civil Discourse FAQ](https://news.northeastern.edu/safe-campuses-civil-discourse-faq/) - [Federal Landscape FAQ](https://news.northeastern.edu/federal-landscape-faq/) April 1, 2026 # [You’ve had COVID-19. Do you get a free pass for a while?](https://news.northeastern.edu/) ## Editor's Picks [![Two ships sailing in the distance of the Strait of Hormuz on a grey, cloudy day.](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Strait-of-Hormuz1400.jpg?w=131)What is the Strait of Hormuz, and why does it matter?](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/19/what-is-the-straight-of-hormuz/) [![Ryan Gosling sits in a space shuttle in the film "Project Hail Mary."](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ProjectHailMary1400.jpg?w=131)What ‘Project Hail Mary’ gets right — and wrong — about astrophysics](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/19/project-hail-mary-accuracy-astrophysics/) ## Recent Stories [Researchers expand the representation of women in medical research](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/31/medical-research-representation-women/) [Artemis II lunar flyby marks new era of space competition, expert says](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/31/artemis-ii-moon-launch/) - [University News](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/university-news/) - [World & National News](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/world-news/) - [Science & Technology](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/science-technology/) - [Entrepreneurship](https://news.northeastern.edu/tag/entrepreneurship) - [Arts & Entertainment](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/arts-entertainment/) - [Business](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/business/) - [Artificial Intelligence](https://news.northeastern.edu/tag/artificial-intelligence) - [Health](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/health/) - [Society & Culture](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/society-culture/) - [Sports](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/sports/) - [Research](https://news.northeastern.edu/research/) - [NU & MMC Merger FAQ](https://news.northeastern.edu/marymount-manhatten-college-merger-faq/) - [Safe Campuses, Civil Discourse FAQ](https://news.northeastern.edu/safe-campuses-civil-discourse-faq/) - [Federal Landscape FAQ](https://news.northeastern.edu/federal-landscape-faq/) - [Contact Us](https://news.northeastern.edu/contact/) - [Faculty Experts](https://news.northeastern.edu/faculty-experts) - [In the Press](https://news.northeastern.edu/in-the-media) - [Media Inquiries](https://news.northeastern.edu/media-inquiries) - [Newsletter](https://mailchi.mp/northeastern/sign-up-form) - [Parents & Families](https://news.northeastern.edu/parents) - [Faculty & Staff](https://news.northeastern.edu/faculty-staff/) - [University News](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/university-news/) - [World & National News](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/world-news/) - [Science & Technology](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/science-technology/) - [Entrepreneurship](https://news.northeastern.edu/tag/entrepreneurship) - [Arts & Entertainment](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/arts-entertainment/) - [Business](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/business/) - [Artificial Intelligence](https://news.northeastern.edu/tag/artificial-intelligence) - [Health](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/health/) - [Society & Culture](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/society-culture/) - [Sports](https://news.northeastern.edu/category/sports/) - [Research](https://news.northeastern.edu/research/) # You’ve had COVID-19. Do you get a free pass for a while? by [Eva Botkin-Kowacki](https://news.northeastern.edu/author/ebotkinkowacki/) February 3, 2022 ## Share - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?url=https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/&title=You%E2%80%99ve%20had%20COVID-19.%20Do%20you%20get%20a%20free%20pass%20for%20a%20while?) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=You%E2%80%99ve%20had%20COVID-19.%20Do%20you%20get%20a%20free%20pass%20for%20a%20while?%20https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/%20via%20Northeastern%20Global%20News) ![](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Positivetest1400.jpg?w=1024) A positive result of rapid antigen test and a negative result of the test in the background are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on January 29, 2021. Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via AP Testing has become a vital tool for people navigating semi-normal life as the pandemic drags on. We’re learning [how and when](https://news.northeastern.edu/2021/12/20/which-covid-test-should-i-get/) to test ourselves for the virus that causes COVID-19 to minimize the risk of spreading it when traveling, visiting family, or going to sporting events or concerts. But for those who have contracted, and recovered from, COVID-19, the public health guidance is to [skip testing](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html#:~:text=If%20you%20had%20COVID-19,for%2010%20days%20after%20exposure.) for 90 days, unless you have symptoms. That’s because there’s a chance that you might falsely test positive. What is going on in your body during those 90 days? “There’s pretty clear evidence now that even after individuals are no longer infectious, there are remnants of viral genetic material in the nasal passages that can be picked up by PCR tests as far out as three months after infection,” explains [Neil Maniar](https://bouve.northeastern.edu/bchs/directory/neil-maniar/), director of the master of public health program, associate chair of the department of health sciences, and professor of public health practice at Northeastern. ![](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ManiarMansoor.jpg?resize=590,392) (Left) Neil Maniar, director of the master of public health program and professor of the practice; (Right) Mansoor Amiji, university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University However, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their quarantine guidelines to five days for people whose symptoms and fever have subsided, many public health experts advocated for adding a test-out component to that shortened timeline. So could you end up stuck in quarantine longer than necessary because of a false positive test? That’s unlikely, Maniar says, because the recommendation is to test-out using an antigen test (that’s what the majority of at-home tests are) rather than a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. PCR tests are highly sensitive and detect the genetic material (in this case, RNA) of the virus, which is why they might pick up any lingering inactive viral bits after an infection has subsided. Antigen tests detect proteins and are less sensitive, which means that they require more of the virus to be present—and a positive may mean the virus is actively replicating in your body. So if you test positive on an antigen test, you’re probably not out of the woods yet. Another reason the CDC advises against asymptomatic testing for 90 days after having COVID-19 is that if you are infected, your immune system is going to generate antibodies, so your immunity to the virus will be boosted, says [Mansoor Amiji](https://bouve.northeastern.edu/bchs/directory/mansoor-amiji/), university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. [![](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/012122_KN95_02.jpg?w=1024)](https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/01/21/fake-n95-kn95-masks/) [How do I tell a fake N-95 or KN95 from a real one?](https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/) Essentially, since your body has recent experience fighting the virus, its defenses are primed. “The part that is not clear is how rapidly that decline occurs in the antibody levels,” Amiji says. “Initially, yes, you would be protected from a second infection, but if that decline in antibody levels is rapid from the infection, then you may not necessarily have enough of the antibodies to prevent a second infection.” Another wrinkle: If another variant of the coronavirus sweeps through, the antibodies generated by your initial infection might not be as effective against the new variant, Amiji adds. In other words, you might not get a free pass for 90 days. [![](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Covid_test_.jpeg?w=1024)](https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/06/09/covid-19-twice-within-90-days/) [Can you get COVID-19 twice within 90 days? Here’s why it’s more likely now than ever.](https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/) There’s a lot of variability across those three months, Maniar says. Take the scenario in which someone tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 1, for example. Their 90-day-period would end on April 1. If they test positive on a PCR test in late January, well after their symptoms ended (and they don’t currently have any symptoms), it’s likely that the test simply picked up remnants of the initial infection. They might decide to back it up with an antigen test. But, Maniar says, if they test positive on, say, March 30, it’s probably a new infection—especially if they’re symptomatic. “It gets a little fuzzy as you getaround that 90-day mark,” he says. The tricky thing, Maniar says, is that “individual circumstances play a big role in this. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.” “Navigating the current situation is so challenging,” he says. Public health guidelines change as scientists learn more about the virus, the vaccines, and infection-induced immunity—and as the virus mutates, too. Maniar suggests keeping up-to-date on the latest guidelines, and says, “We have the right tools to help us navigate this.” [*For media inquiries](https://news.northeastern.edu/media-inquiries/), please contact Marirose Sartoretto at* [m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu](mailto:m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu) or 617-373-5718. by [Eva Botkin-Kowacki](https://news.northeastern.edu/author/ebotkinkowacki/) February 3, 2022 ## Share - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?url=https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/&title=You%E2%80%99ve%20had%20COVID-19.%20Do%20you%20get%20a%20free%20pass%20for%20a%20while?) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=You%E2%80%99ve%20had%20COVID-19.%20Do%20you%20get%20a%20free%20pass%20for%20a%20while?%20https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/02/03/can-you-get-covid-twice/%20via%20Northeastern%20Global%20News) ## More by Eva Botkin-Kowacki [This Northeastern graduate hiked the entire Appalachian Trail—in the winter](https://news.northeastern.edu/?post_type=post&p=162623) [Moderna has an Omicron-specific booster shot. Does it change anything?](https://news.northeastern.edu/?post_type=post&p=134607) [These fish live in sub-freezing waters. Why are so many getting sick?](https://news.northeastern.edu/?post_type=post&p=133790) ## Editor's Picks [What is the Strait of Hormuz, and why does it matter?](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/19/what-is-the-straight-of-hormuz/) [What ‘Project Hail Mary’ gets right — and wrong — about astrophysics](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/19/project-hail-mary-accuracy-astrophysics/) [Research into great-grandfather’s past reveals Holocaust history](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/17/melina-coy-holocaust-history-gideon-klein-lecture/) [What an abandoned monkey and his IKEA orangutan tell us about humans](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/13/punch-the-monkey/) [Nobles go, bishops stay. Changes in Parliament’s House of Lords](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/13/house-of-lords-uk/) ## Featured Posts [Officials capture Nicolás Maduro, strike Caracas: Is the U.S. at war?](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/01/03/us-captures-nicolas-maduro-regime-change/) [Was the death of Shakespeare’s son Hamnet inspiration for Hamlet?](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/01/02/hamnet-movie/) [No red blood cells? No problem. Icefish, meet the Asian noodlefish](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/01/01/asian-noodlefish-red-blood-cells/) [Why we get — and how to beat — the ‘holiday blues’](https://news.northeastern.edu/2025/12/19/holiday-blues/) [Reiner killings an ‘unusual form’ of family violence](https://news.northeastern.edu/2025/12/19/reiner-murder-patricide-matricide/) ## Science & Technology [![An illustration that depicts a few white female figures surrounded by black male figures, all standing under a microphone.](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1400x933Updated_women-underrepresentation-in-medical-research.jpg?w=163)Researchers expand the representation of women in medical research](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/31/medical-research-representation-women/) [![Artemis II crew members in blue space suits standing in front of the rocket, which is set against a blue sky.](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Artemis1400.jpg?w=163)Artemis II lunar flyby marks new era of space competition, expert says](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/31/artemis-ii-moon-launch/) [![Researcher Juner Zhu, wearing safety glasses and gloves, reaches into a lab chamber while working on electric vehicle battery research at Northeastern’s Kostas Research Institute in Burlington, Massachusetts.](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/032726_MM_Juner_Zhu_017.jpg?w=163)Research lays the groundwork for longer lasting batteries](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/30/why-batteries-eventually-fail-resear/) ## Recent Stories [![A photo looking through the eyepiece of a microscope at a mosquito.](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/mosquito-1400.jpg?w=163)Research reevaluates the economic burden of dengue on Puerto Rico](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/30/dengue-economic-burden-research/) [![A COVID-19 test lying flat with a droplet falling from a syringe.](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COVIDtest1400.jpg?w=163)What you should know about the new COVID-19 ‘Cicada’ variant](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/27/new-covid-19-cicada-variant/) [![A hand holds a tray of small, red test liquids steady and places a pipette in one. The Image is reflected in a table surface.](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/stem_cells_1400.jpg?w=163)These researchers use nasal stem cells to help damaged nerves regrow](https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/27/nerve-damage-repaired-nasal-stem-cells/) # [You’ve had COVID-19. 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Readable Markdown	Testing has become a vital tool for people navigating semi-normal life as the pandemic drags on. We’re learning [how and when](https://news.northeastern.edu/2021/12/20/which-covid-test-should-i-get/) to test ourselves for the virus that causes COVID-19 to minimize the risk of spreading it when traveling, visiting family, or going to sporting events or concerts. But for those who have contracted, and recovered from, COVID-19, the public health guidance is to [skip testing](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html#:~:text=If%20you%20had%20COVID-19,for%2010%20days%20after%20exposure.) for 90 days, unless you have symptoms. That’s because there’s a chance that you might falsely test positive. What is going on in your body during those 90 days? “There’s pretty clear evidence now that even after individuals are no longer infectious, there are remnants of viral genetic material in the nasal passages that can be picked up by PCR tests as far out as three months after infection,” explains [Neil Maniar](https://bouve.northeastern.edu/bchs/directory/neil-maniar/), director of the master of public health program, associate chair of the department of health sciences, and professor of public health practice at Northeastern. ![](https://news.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ManiarMansoor.jpg?resize=590,392) (Left) Neil Maniar, director of the master of public health program and professor of the practice; (Right) Mansoor Amiji, university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University However, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed their quarantine guidelines to five days for people whose symptoms and fever have subsided, many public health experts advocated for adding a test-out component to that shortened timeline. So could you end up stuck in quarantine longer than necessary because of a false positive test? That’s unlikely, Maniar says, because the recommendation is to test-out using an antigen test (that’s what the majority of at-home tests are) rather than a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. PCR tests are highly sensitive and detect the genetic material (in this case, RNA) of the virus, which is why they might pick up any lingering inactive viral bits after an infection has subsided. Antigen tests detect proteins and are less sensitive, which means that they require more of the virus to be present—and a positive may mean the virus is actively replicating in your body. So if you test positive on an antigen test, you’re probably not out of the woods yet. Another reason the CDC advises against asymptomatic testing for 90 days after having COVID-19 is that if you are infected, your immune system is going to generate antibodies, so your immunity to the virus will be boosted, says [Mansoor Amiji](https://bouve.northeastern.edu/bchs/directory/mansoor-amiji/), university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. Essentially, since your body has recent experience fighting the virus, its defenses are primed. “The part that is not clear is how rapidly that decline occurs in the antibody levels,” Amiji says. “Initially, yes, you would be protected from a second infection, but if that decline in antibody levels is rapid from the infection, then you may not necessarily have enough of the antibodies to prevent a second infection.” Another wrinkle: If another variant of the coronavirus sweeps through, the antibodies generated by your initial infection might not be as effective against the new variant, Amiji adds. In other words, you might not get a free pass for 90 days. There’s a lot of variability across those three months, Maniar says. Take the scenario in which someone tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 1, for example. Their 90-day-period would end on April 1. If they test positive on a PCR test in late January, well after their symptoms ended (and they don’t currently have any symptoms), it’s likely that the test simply picked up remnants of the initial infection. They might decide to back it up with an antigen test. But, Maniar says, if they test positive on, say, March 30, it’s probably a new infection—especially if they’re symptomatic. “It gets a little fuzzy as you getaround that 90-day mark,” he says. The tricky thing, Maniar says, is that “individual circumstances play a big role in this. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.” “Navigating the current situation is so challenging,” he says. Public health guidelines change as scientists learn more about the virus, the vaccines, and infection-induced immunity—and as the virus mutates, too. Maniar suggests keeping up-to-date on the latest guidelines, and says, “We have the right tools to help us navigate this.” [*For media inquiries](https://news.northeastern.edu/media-inquiries/), please contact Marirose Sartoretto at* [m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu](mailto:m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu) or 617-373-5718.
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