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Two colored lines appear. A colored line should always appear in the Control (C) region and another line should be in the Test (T) region. A positive result indicates detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigens in the sample.
Understand your test result for a COVID-19 (PCR) test or a COVID-19 antibody test.
- On This Page
- When You Should Test For Covid-19
- What Your At-Home Otc Covid-19 Test Result Means
- What At-Home Covid-19 Antigen Tests Do Not Tell You
- Reporting Your Test Result
- Understanding Covid-19 Infection and The Risk of Spreading The Virus
- Related Information
If you have symptoms, test immediately and then test again per the instructions if your first result is negative.If you were exposedto someone who has COVID-19 and you do not have symptoms, wait at least 5 full days after your exposure before testing. If you test too early, you may have an inaccurate result.If you are in certain high-risk settings, you may need to test as part of a screening testing program.Consider testing before coming into contact with someone who has a high risk for severe COVID-19; people who are older adults or immunocompromised, or have other medical conditions, especially if y...Most FDA-authorized at-home OTC COVID-19 tests are antigen tests. While not perfect, they provide a fast and convenient COVID-19 testing option to detect the virus, so you may know if you are infected and should stay at home and away from peopleto help reduce the spread of the virus. 1. A positive result using an at-home COVID-19 antigen test means...
If you have an infection immediately after you are exposed to COVID-19 because it may take 2 to 5 days, and sometimes longer, for the virus to be detected by a COVID-19 antigen test. How long it ta...How contagious you are or if you can spread the virus to someone else. There are no tests that can tell you that. You could pass COVID-19 to others even before you get a positive result on a test.If you have another type of respiratory illness, such as flu or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), unless it is a test specifically authorized for detection of these viruses.The FDA encourages you to voluntarily and anonymously report your positive or negative test results every time you use an at-home COVID-19 test. You can send your test result to MakeMyTestCount.orgExternal Link Disclaimeror use an app or other digital option for self-reporting that may be included with your test. Report each test result one time. T...
When you are exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19, it may get into your nose, throat, and lungs (which make up your respiratory tract) and cause an infection. You may never develop symptomsof an infection or you may not have symptoms for several days after you are exposed to the virus, despite being infected. You could still pass the virus to ...
May 12, 2020 · Interpreting the result of a test for covid-19 depends on two things: the accuracy of the test, and the pre-test probability or estimated risk of disease before testing. A positive RT-PCR test for covid-19 test has more weight than a negative test because of the test’s high specificity but moderate sensitivity.
- Jessica Watson, Penny F Whiting, John E Brush
- 2020
Apr 15, 2021 · Molecular and antigen tests can detect current SARS-CoV-2 infection and are used to diagnose COVID-19. Clinicians should consider a test's characteristics, test timing in relation to symptom...
May 2, 2024 · Choose the right type of test for your circumstance; For antigen tests, follow test directions as recommended by FDA and the test manufacturer; If you do not, your results may be less likely to correctly indicate whether you have COVID-19 or not.
Feb 7, 2022 · The rapid antigen tests give results in 15-20 minutes and are convenient. Self-testing is an important tool in efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus, along with vaccination, masking, washing hands and social distancing. To get the most accurate result, it’s important to do the test properly.
