COVID-19 Testing: What you need to know

In late March, the United States went into a temporary lockdown due to the new virus, COVID-19. Restaurants, stores, gyms, schools, and small businesses closed. Some people can be asymptomatic to COVID-19, so the only way to know if someone is infected or not, is to take a COVID-19 test.

There are many types of coronaviruses. COVID-19 was discovered in 2019 in Wuhan, China. The first infections were linked to an animal market, but, now, the virus can be spread from person to person. According to the CDC, the symptoms may include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. However, people can be infected and not have any symptoms. That means that someone can unknowingly be spreading the virus. The COVID-19 test can tell people whether they are infected or not even if they aren’t experiencing symptoms.

Patients wait to be tested for COVID-19 [PC: Stacy]

There are two types of tests for COVID-19. One is a viral test and the other is an antibody test. A viral test tells people if they currently have an infection, and an antibody test tells people if they’ve had a past infection. It takes 1-3 weeks for the body to begin making antibodies so an antibody test may not tell if someone has a current infection.

According to the CDC, most people infected can recover at home without the need of medical care, but it is important that people call their healthcare provider if their symptoms are worsening or if they have questions about their health.

The viral test uses samples from the respiratory system. A common testing method is to insert a swab inside the nose and retrieve a sample. Some tests can tell people the results an hour later. Some require a laboratory analysis, and results may take 1-2 days.

Antibody tests check the blood and look for antibodies. This test may tell if there was a past infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. If a positive result is received, it is important that the patient talks with their healthcare provider to better understand their results.

Elderly woman stands outside her local testing center

Viral and antibody test decisions are made by state or local healthcare providers or health departments. So if someone wants to be tested, they should speak with their healthcare provider.

A negative viral test does not guarantee that someone won’t be infected. Infection may occur after the test. If someone starts showing symptoms after a negative test result in the past, they can take another test.

COVID-19 is still spreading across the U.S. There is no specific cure for the virus at the moment.

For more information visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html

*PC = Photo Credits