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Infection-free

Have you been infected with COVID-19? This affects when you can be vaccinated, when testing is recommended, and when your corona passport is valid again.

Updated: 27 April 2022

You can find important information regarding being infection-free after having COVID-19 below.

When can I stop self-isolating?

Unfold the section that best describes your current situation:

If you haven’t had symptoms, you can stop self-isolating four days after the test was taken.

Mild symptoms of COVID-19 include a runny nose, a tickly throat, and intermittent coughing. They are typically short-lasting and you don’t really feel unwell.

You can stop self-isolating four days after your test was taken. If you experience severe symptoms, continue to self-isolate until you no longer have severe symptoms.

Severe symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, a persistent cough, sneezing or respiratory problems, and generally feeling unwell.

You can stop self-isolating when you no longer have severe symptoms of COVID-19, and at least four days have passed since your test. This means that you can stop self-isolating after at least four days if your symptoms improve from severe to mild.

You or your child do not need to be tested again to be regarded as having recovered. The test may be positive due to an inactive virus, even if you have recovered and are no longer able to infect anyone else. It is therefore not necessary to have a negative test before being able to return to work, school, etc.

Vaccination after infection

Most people become immune in the period after they have been ill with COVID-19. Current research indicates the immunity lasts for at least six months.

However, there is no certainty that the immunity an individual receives after having been infected with COVID-19 is the same as the immunity you receive when you are vaccinated.

The Danish Health Authority continues to recommend vaccination to some groups to protect against serious illness and death

Read more about vaccination against COVID-19

Testing after infection

For up to 60 days after you or your child has had a positive PCR test, it is not recommended that you be tested. This is because you can still test positive in this period, even if you have recovered and are no longer contagious.

In addition, testing for COVID-19 is only recommended if:

  • You have symptoms of COVID-19 and you feel sick, and you are at the same time 65 years or older, or for other reasons are at increased risk of a serious course with COVID-19 - this also applies if you are pregnant.
  • You must be admitted to hospital and the admission is expected to last more than 24 hours.
  • You are hospitalized urgently.
  • You are discharged from hospital to institutions, such as nursing homes or housing facilities.

Find your nearest COVID-19 test center

Corona passport

People over the age of 15 who are found to be positive using a PCR test no longer have an active corona passport/COVID certificate.

The corona passport will be valid again after 11 days and up to five months after a positive PCR test. A positive rapid antigen test cannot be used as documentation in this case.

Read more about the corona passport

Long-term effects of COVID-19

The majority of people who have had COVID-19 recover without treatment and can return to a normal everyday life, although it may take some time. However, some may experience symptoms for a longer period.

Long-term effects of COVID-19 is defined by WHO as at least one symptom that persists for over two months after a COVID-19 infection, and that cannot be explained by other diagnoses.

Some of the most frequent symptoms of long-term effects are:

  • Cough and shortness of breath
  • Chest pain, chest tightness and heart palpitations
  • Fatigue and fever
  • Cognitive problems such as difficulty concentrating or memory problems, headaches, sleep disturbances, peripheral neuropathy (impaired/altered sense of touch), dizziness and delirium (disorder often seen in the elderly)
  • Abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, anorexia/reduced appetite (in the elderly)
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Symptoms of depression and anxiety
  • Loss of taste or smell, tinnitus, earache, sore throat, dizziness
  • Skin rash

Still looking for answers?

You can find out more information in our FAQ section or by contacting one of the authorities' COVID-19 hotlines.