I don’t know the answer to this but do viruses usually sit quietly without symptoms for a few days while being capable of being spread? And not show any symptoms in many of those who have it and spread it?
Yes. It is common to be asymptomatic for the first few days and still spread the virus. Some people are totally asymptomatic and never know they’ve caught something until they’re tested.
The flu is similar in that respect. The virus has to incubate for a few days before a host shows symptoms.