Table of Contents COVID-19 has impacted us all in various ways, and understanding how quickly symptoms can appear after exposure is essential for managing your health and the safety of those around you. When Do Symptoms Appear? According to the CDC, symptoms of COVID-19 typically appear between 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. This window is known as the incubation period. On average, symptoms start to show around 5 to 6 days ...