content: How long does it take for someone to show symptoms and test positive for the virus after they've been infected? There were stories of the cases spiking literally the day after states opened up, being blamed on the states opening up. If it takes more than 24 hours for the virus to register, then how is it possible for the opening of the state to be the cause of the infections 23 hours after the state has opened? "How long does it take after exposure to COVID-19 to develop symptoms? The time between exposure to COVID-19 and the moment when symptoms start is commonly around five to six days but can range from 1 – 14 days" https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses