Covid-19 Testing

Amid the Coronavirus disease or Covid-19 outbreak, there now exist many testing facilities within the U.S in attempt to diagnose patients. There also exists various questions as to what kinds of tests are most accurate, turn around times, and proper testing procedures. Many individuals are unsure of where to get tested, when to test, and what kind of test to expect. If you yourself are curios about these same questions read on. *Disclaimer: Please note that the following recommendations were gathered from information found on the CDC homepage and do not belong to LTC Tree*

Two Tests

According to the Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there exists two main test available for Covid-19 testing: Viral Test & Antibody test. Viral tests are administered via nasal or saliva swab and screen for current infections meaning someone who is currently ill with Covid-19. The Antibody tests is a blood test which screens for the development of antibodies from a past Covid infection.

Which Test When

If you suspect you currently have Covid-19 you should opt for a viral test. If you are curious whether you have already had and recovered from Covid-19 you may opt for the antibody test. The viral test will screen for current infections and is administered through a viral nose/saliva swab only. The antibody test is a blood test administered through the collection of a blood sample. You should note that the antibody test may come back negative for someone with the active virus as it can take 1-3 weeks after infection for the body to develop antibodies to this virus. Testing negative for either of these tests does not mean you  100% do not actively have the virus or may later contract it. Some tests may come back within the hour and other may take a couple of days to produce results. You should also note that regardless of your test results you may still be contagious and should continue to take proper precautions.

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