How long can the virus be latent in the body before there are any symptoms?

[kentuck]

I have read that many folks are self-quarantining after contact with a known positive carrier.

But, I have also read that the virus may be latent for 14 days or longer?

How many people are walking around perfectly normal at this moment, not realizing they are carrying the virus and it is just a matter of time before the virus is awakened?

These are scary times.

[zackymilly]

1. Who knows? We can't get any damn tests!

I have some of the symptoms, but no fever. It could be allergies, pollen, something I ate, etc.
I've had several joint surgeries, so I have body aches anyway.
I work for an Asian big pharma company and have to deal with shipments coming in from all over the world.

[apcalc]

2. How many walking around? Thousands and thousands.

[Siwsan]

3. Potentially, many may have/had coronavirus and thought it was a 'common cold'

They are saying that mild cases in healthy people are perfectly manageable at home, but before this all hit the airwaves, how many people actually isolated with cold symptoms? Yea, perhaps they should have, but seeing someone coughing and sneezing doesn't usually terrify routinely healthy people.

I came down with a cold virus, at the beginning of February. Started with a scratchy, more than sore, throat, coughing, sinuses flowing and LOTS of sneezing. I felt a little warm, at one point, but no body aches or bad fatigue. I stayed home as much as possible and carried on with my daily chores, as usual. My sinuses are still draining so there's still the occasional cough and sneeze but other than that, I feel fine. But still, if that same scenario started, now, I'd be in a state of panic and dread and panic does not lend itself to normal healing.

For now, I'm well supplied for a considerable stretch so once I drop taxes and replenishing my cannabis gummies, I'm home for the long haul.

[beachbumbob]

4. best guess is 14 days should be good for "self-quarantine" but that only means any

exposure who had didn't infect you, doesn't mean you can safely go back out and not fear getting it