When someone close to you tests positive for COVID-19, it’s natural to feel an immediate sense of urgency. The question that often follows is simple but critical: how long should you wait before getting tested? Testing too soon can give you false reassurance, while delaying too long risks spreading the virus to others. The answer lies in understanding the incubation period, the type of test you use, and the circumstances of your exposure.

COVID-19 doesn’t reveal itself instantly. It takes some time for the virus to reproduce in your body until it can be detected by tests to the level that it is present. That window is called the incubation period, and it is usually 2 to 14 days, with infections usually appearing on days 3 to 7. Waiting too long to test results in a false-negative reading because viral load isn't adequate yet. That is why professionals call for waiting for the appropriate moment before swabbing.

Also Read: What Is Chagas Disease? What Are the Symptoms? Is This 'Kissing Bug' Infection Deadly?

When To Test For COVID If You Have Symptoms?

If you get symptoms like fever, cough, tiredness, stuffiness, or loss of smell and taste—you need to test immediately. A positive antigen test is most often accurate, but a negative one isn't always the end of the matter. Since rapid tests may not catch early infections, particularly within the first days, the FDA and CDC advise retesting 48 hours later if your initial test was negative but you continue to have symptoms.

When to Test for COVID if You Do Not Have Symptoms?

For people without symptoms but with known exposure, the CDC advises testing on Day 5 after exposure. Counting starts on the day of exposure, which is considered Day 0. By Day 5, the virus is typically detectable in most individuals. Testing earlier may be useful if you’re planning to be around vulnerable populations, but it’s important to confirm results later in the incubation period with a follow-up test.

Types of Tests for COVID-19 and Accuracy After Exposure

Rapid Antigen Tests

• Speed: 15–30 minutes.
• Advantages: Suitable for rapid decisions and testing at home.
• Drawbacks: Less sensitive, particularly in the initial periods of infection or among asymptomatic individuals.
• Optimal Use: Day 5 or later since exposure; retest after 48 hours if negative.

PCR Tests

• Speed: Results usually within 1–3 days.
• Advantages: The gold standard because highly sensitive, able to identify even traces of the virus.
• Limitations: Has to be processed in the lab, longer turnaround.
• Best Use: Day 5 after contact for best accuracy.

Antibody Tests

• Speed: Variable, but not useful immediately.
• Strengths: Can identify past infection, not current.
• Limitations: Antibodies typically show up 1–3 weeks after infection.
• Best Use: To ascertain past exposure, not to test right after contact.

Why Testing Too Early Can Give Misleading Results?

Testing within 1–2 days of exposure rarely provides accurate results. At this stage, the virus is still incubating and your immune system hasn’t produced a detectable viral load. A negative result during this period can create a false sense of security, potentially leading to unintentional spread. Waiting until Day 5, unless symptoms appear earlier significantly improves accuracy.

COVID Testing Timeline Guideline

Day 0: Exposure occurs. Begin monitoring for symptoms.

Days 1–3: Remain vigilant. Avoid social contact, but delay testing unless symptoms occur.

Day 5: Test with PCR or an antigen test. If you use an antigen test and it comes back negative, retest in 48 hours.

Day 6–7: If you received a negative test result but are still worried—or must see someone high-risk—opt for a second test.

What to Do if You Test Positive?

A positive test result indicates you should self-isolate right away, notify close contacts, and adhere to public health advice. Most individuals with mild signs or symptoms can recover at home, but individuals with high-risk conditions—e.g., chronic illness, compromised immunity, or advanced age—should see a health care provider for potential antiviral treatment.

Isolation is usually 5 days from onset of symptoms or positive test (in case of being asymptomatic), but at least 10 days of masking around other people is recommended.

What if You Test Negative?

A negative test is not always conclusive. Taken too early, or if you don't have symptoms, the virus may not be visible yet. Keep on masking, watching for symptoms, and retesting as needed. If you have a subsequent onset of symptoms after a negative test, consider the infection to be possible and retest soon.

Where to Get Tested for COVID?

Testing for COVID-19 is widely available in various settings to accommodate a variety of needs. Home rapid tests, found at pharmacies and drugstores, are convenient and provide fast results, but a follow-up test is suggested if the test is negative but symptoms are still present. Healthcare clinics and pharmacies sell antigen and PCR tests, and some have appointments. Free or low-cost testing can be found at community clinics and public health clinics, especially in outbreak situations. For patients with respiratory symptoms, most clinics ask that they pre-call to reduce waiting room exposure, and telemedicine consultations are becoming more widespread throughout many areas.

Even in 2025, with better treatments and vaccines, testing is important. It catches infections early, informs isolation and treatment decisions, and safeguards at-risk populations. The CDC insists repeatedly that prompt testing—particularly following confirmed exposure—is among the best measures to slow spread.

If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, resist the urge to test right away. Instead, monitor for symptoms and plan to test around Day 5 post-exposure. Use rapid antigen tests for quick answers, but rely on PCR tests for the most accurate results. Regardless of your test outcome, continue practicing precautions, especially around high-risk groups. Testing at the right time doesn’t just protect you—it protects your community.

At least once in our lives, most of us have dreamed of having a perfect memory. A brain that would remember crucial details at the nick of time, whether it is during your exam or an interview. But this is not just a dream, it is just another day for this young girl, who has a ‘Super Brain’.

Scientifically speaking, she has a very rare condition that makes her remember every detail of her life, like a record. In a 2024 interview by Official W5, Emily Nash, who was 18-year-old at the time of filming, from Ottawa, described her incredible ability to remember everything.

A Person Who Remembers Everything

The video explained how she is one of the few people in the world confirmed to have Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) She can remember the exact date and details of public events, from the death of Queen Elizabeth to celebrity news and movie release dates. Her memory is so precise that she can tell you what she was doing on a specific date, down to what she had for lunch and what was playing on the radio.

Her family even gave her the nickname "Wikipedia" because she was their go-to source for random facts and dates. Emily describes her memory as a "calendar" where each day is like a little movie she can rewind and fast-forward through.

How Is HSAM Different From Having Good Memory?

According to a 2024 study by Neuropsychology Review, HSAM is a very rare and special ability where a person can remember almost every single day of their life in incredible detail. If you give them a specific date, like "January 15, 2003," they can instantly recall what they were doing, what the weather was like, and even what they were wearing. Unlike memory athletes who use tricks to memorize things, people with HSAM do this automatically and without any effort. It feels like a movie playing in their mind. The review confirmed that HSAM is a truly unique type of memory.

It's Fast and Accurate

People with HSAM can recall memories quickly, with amazing detail, and the memories are almost always perfectly accurate.

It Doesn't Fade with Age

A person with HSAM who was studied at ages 75 and 80 still had an incredible memory, showing that this ability seems to resist the normal memory loss that comes with getting older.

It's Only for Personal Memories

The study found that people with HSAM are not better at remembering just anything. They are not smarter, and their memory for general facts, names, or things they learned in a textbook is normal—only their memory for their own life is special.

How Do People With HSAM Remember Everything?

The study explained what goes on inside the brains of people with HSAM.

Brain Activity

When people with HSAM recall a memory, their brain activity goes into overdrive. Areas that are normally used for memory light up much more intensely. This suggests that their memories are more vivid and that the brain's "memory network" is working at a much higher level.

Brain Structure

Interestingly, the physical structure of their brains doesn't appear to be bigger or different in size. Instead, the main difference is in the way certain brain regions are connected, particularly the hippocampus, which is a key part of the brain for memory. This suggests that the special memory isn't because of a bigger brain but because the brain's connections are wired differently.

How Does Researching HSAM Help Brain Health?

Understanding HSAM could be incredibly important for the future. By figuring out how these rare individuals remember so well, scientists might be able to develop new strategies to help people with memory problems, such as those caused by diseases like Alzheimer's. It could also help improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimony in legal cases. Ultimately, this research gives us a unique window into how memory works and how it might be strengthened.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is not something many people understand. We all develop this skill as we age and meet more people, however, the learning curve may be different for all of us. But why do we even need to be emotionally intelligent? And how is it a skill? This is not just a social phenomenon, but a complex inter-emotional communication that one needs to learn.

In simpler terms, you as a person need to have the ability to recognize your own feelings, manage them as well as understand other people. The best example of it would be when a young child who never had to share suddenly gets a sibling.

Now everything that belonged solely to the child gets divided, like the parent’s love and affection. In turn, the child acts out in different ways, like throwing tantrums, crying and pouting so that the attention is on them again. It is now the parents’ turn to teach children what they’re feeling and how to manage these feelings.

However, as you grow up, the situations are much more complicated, so are your feelings and you will still encounter people you may not understand or some situations. So how do emotionally intelligent people go about handling things like this. The first answer would be to explain yourself, expressing your feelings and showing your intent. But you are going about this the wrong way.

Tessa West, social psychologist and professor at New York University, speaking to CNBC News says even when you run into a difficult situation like a conflict with a spouse, leaving your feeling bare won’t help the situation as much. So, what do you do? She explains in 3 points what emotionally intelligent people do in difficult situations.

Smart Ways To Handle Conflict

Most people are taught that when you're in a conflict, the first thing you should do is tell the other person how you feel. But a social psychologist says this isn't always the smartest move. True emotional intelligence is not just about expressing feelings but also knowing when to do it. Sometimes, it's better to talk about what happened first.

We Don’t Always See the Same Thing

It’s easy to assume that everyone sees a situation the same way you do. You might feel disrespected because a coworker cut you off in a meeting. But that coworker might have done it because the meeting was almost over, and they had to make a decision.

Instead of starting with your feelings, a better approach is to talk about the specific event. You could say, "Here's what I remember happening. What's your side of the story?" This shows that you're open to hearing their perspective and aren't assuming you're right.

Our Guesses About "Why" Are Often Wrong

It's natural to assume you know why someone did something. But these assumptions are often wrong and can be hurtful. People tend to think the worst if they don't trust the other person.

A better way is to ask for their reasons. You could say, "I made some guesses about why you did that, but I'd love to hear your side." Admitting your assumption helps calm things down and makes room for a real conversation. The reason for their action might be something you never even thought of.

Talk About Feelings Later

Once you've cleared up what happened and why, your feelings might change. With a better understanding, you might not be as upset as you were before.

This is the right time to talk about how you feel. By waiting, you can have a more productive conversation. This approach helps build stronger relationships because it’s based on understanding each other, not just on emotions.

Music has a way to make you feel different kinds of emotions. Whether it is calm, excited or even sad. We all have playlists for different moments, whether it's for a workout, a commute, or a quiet night at home. Music isn't just background noise; it's a tool we use to match or change our mood, and it can even influence how we feel physically. Having playlists according to our routine is normal as well as having playlists dedicated to occasions like our birthdays and anniversaries. However, did you know, you could also have an anti-motion sickness.

A new study suggests that listening to certain kinds of music can help you feel better when you get motion sickness. Specifically, joyful and soft music were found to be most effective at relieving symptoms and making the travel experience more pleasant. Scientists found that these types of tunes help calm the brain and reduce the physical symptoms of feeling sick. This discovery offers a simple and easy-to-use solution for people who suffer from motion sickness, whether on a car ride, a boat, or even in a flight simulator.

What Is Motion Sickness?

Motion sickness happens when there's a disconnect between what your eyes see and what your inner ear feels. For example, in a car, your eyes see the inside of the vehicle, which appears still, but your inner ear feels the motion of the turns and bumps. This mismatch confuses your brain and can cause you to feel nauseous, dizzy, and just plain sick. This is becoming a bigger issue with the rise of self-driving cars, where passengers aren't always focused on the road ahead and are more likely to experience this visual-vestibular conflict.

What Kind Of Music Helps With Motion Sickness?

To figure out how music affects motion sickness, scientists created a driving simulator. This allowed them to safely make people feel motion sickness by creating the same visual and balance disconnect that happens in a real car. They then had the participants listen to different types of music—joyful, sad, stirring, and soft—and measured their brain activity using a special cap that reads brain signals (EEG). They also asked the participants how they felt. The study’s setup was designed to find a clear link between brain activity and the type of music listened to.

The study found a strong link between brain activity and motion sickness. By analyzing brain signals, they were able to accurately predict when someone was feeling sick. When they looked at the effect of music, they found:

• Soft and joyful music were the most effective. People reported feeling significantly better—up to 57% better with soft music and 56% better with joyful music.
• Sad music actually seemed to make things worse, performing even less effectively than a group that just rested with no music.
• Stirring music had mixed results; it helped according to brain data but not in what people said they felt.

The study concludes that playing the right kind of music could be a simple, non-drug solution for motion sickness. However, the researchers noted that more studies are needed with a larger and more diverse group of people to confirm these findings in real-life situations.