Home Use Tests for COVID-19
You’ve come down with a fever, feel crummy, and have a runny nose, cough, and sore throat. You were recently at a large gathering, and you wonder – is it COVID-19? One way to find out is to use a home test. You can purchase these over-the-counter at a pharmacy or other retail store.
What COVID-19 test should I purchase?
COVID-19 tests from different manufacturers vary in design, but any of these tests can be used to detect proteins (antigens) from the virus that causes COVID-19. It is important to read the instructions carefully each time you use a test. Talk to your pharmacist if you are uncertain which test to purchase.
These are some tests designed to test for COVID-19 AND other viral illnesses such as influenza A and B or RSV at the same time. These tests may be useful to identify the specific illness and allow you to begin treatment, especially if you are a candidate for starting antiviral treatment to decrease risks and severity of these infections.
When should I take the test for COVID-19?
If you know you have had close contact with another person with COVID-19, it may take 2 to 5 days for the virus to be detected in your body. Be aware that you may be contagious to others before you get a positive result on a test. If you begin to have symptoms, you may use the test immediately, if not, you should wait at least 5 days to begin testing.
What should I do if the COVID-19 test is positive?
A positive result means that the COVID-19 virus was detected – meaning you have or recently had a COVID-19 infection. Positive results are accurate and reliable. Take actions to prevent the spread of infection. Monitor your symptoms and if they worsen, be sure to seek medical care right away.
Note that you may continue to test positive for up to 90 days after having a positive test for COVID-19 with home-use antigen tests.
What should I do if the test is negative?
If your test is negative, it means that the virus was not detected. However, it does not mean that you don’t have an infection. It could be that you are at an early stage of COVID-19 infection, and the virus was not at high enough levels to be recognized by the test. Alternatively, it could be that you have another type of infection such as influenza. The FDA currently recommends repeating the test again in 48 hours if you have symptoms. If you still have a negative test and no symptoms, repeat the test a third time another 48 hours later.
Do home-use antigen tests give reliable results?
When used according to the manufacturer’s instructions, these tests are reliable. However, if you do not take the sample correctly, do not follow the instructions carefully, or check the test results too early or too late (usually within 15-30 minutes), you may not have accurate results.
When should I consider having a laboratory-based test?
Laboratory tests for the COVID-19 virus (also called PCR tests) are more likely to detect the virus than the home-use antigen tests. The drawback is that the test results may not be available for up to 3 days. These tests may be useful to confirm the results from an antigen test.
Summary
Home testing for the COVID-19 virus is a useful tool to know if you have COVID-19 so that you can decide on your next steps to take. You may want to contact your doctor to obtain treatment to reduce the risk of a severe illness. If positive, you should take measures to protect the spread of your illness to others.