No you have to cover in a time frame or risk a short sqeeze. Many people shorting aren't looking to make a killing, just a few bucks. So, if they can cover making 10k in 3 days they will and move on. When those big red day happen on any stock you can bet people are covering and making money. For example these pull backs offer a prime opportunity for those who shorted at the top end to cover. Now I believe there's a TON of short still, but to believe nobody has covered to date is absurd.