The recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in our communities has generated questions about testing. Here are some helpful guidelines provided by the CDC.
Considerations for those who should get tested, include:
- People who have symptoms of COVID-19 or
- People who have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone with confirmed COVID-19 or
- People who have been asked or referred to get testing by their healthcare provider, or local or state health department.
Not everyone needs to be tested. If you meet one of these guidelines and would like to be tested, please call your primary care provider or contact the office via MyChart. This is especially important if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
If you do get tested, you should self-quarantine/isolate at home pending test results.
If you test positive for COVID-19, contact your medical provider for advice. Most people have mild COVID-19 illness and can recover at home. If, however, you have emergency symptoms including difficulty breathing, call 911 to contact your emergency medical services.
If you test negative for COVID-19, you probably were not infected at the time your sample was collected. This does not mean you will not get sick and it is important to continue to monitor your symptoms. A negative test result only means that you did not have COVID-19 at the time of testing or that your sample was collected too early in your infection. If you develop symptoms, it may mean you were exposed to COVID-19 after the test was taken and you may need another test to determine if you have contracted the virus.
COVID-19 is easily transmitted, but there are things we all can do to prevent the spread of this virus. The CDC provides guidelines that will help keep us all safe. They also provide helpful suggestions for safely celebrating this holiday season. And, if you have questions, contact your medical provider for advice.
