With COVID-19 still so prominent today, it’s important to continue to stay healthy and keep others safe by getting tested for the virus. Getting tested ensures someone knows whether or not they’re infected with COVID-19, and allows them to quarantine and protect their loved ones.
How Often Should I Get Tested?
For healthcare workers, a clinic or hospital might recommend rapid covid testing once or twice every week. Individuals who know they have been exposed to the virus should be tested within three to five days of exposure. This allows enough time for the virus to be detected by rapid Covid testing and is still early enough to nip the virus in the bud.
How Does Rapid Covid Testing Work?
People will be tested by either inserting a swab into their nose or into the back of their throats. This swab is then sent to a lab, where results can be determined the same day as the test, usually in as little as 15 minutes.
Where Can I Get Tested?
People can get tested at a variety of places, including emergency hospital rooms if they go in and experience symptoms. If there are no serious symptoms, people can also get tested with their primary care provider, at a local COVID-19 testing site, at their employer if they work at a hospital or clinic, or at an urgent care clinic. Urgent care clinics are a good choice, as 85% of people at an urgent care get seen in under an hour.
How Accurate Is Rapid Covid Testing?
Rapid Covid tests are moderate to highly accurate if done through a reputable clinic, medical center, or testing site. They are not as accurate as molecular tests, which take longer to process. However, they still test for the protein remnants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and are able to accurately find them when viral load is high. Usually, this occurs in someone who is already having symptoms of COVID-19.
Should I Take a Rapid Test With No Symptoms?
You can still do rapid Covid testing even if you don’t have symptoms. It’s recommended by the FDA to take various tests in order to detect the virus in asymptomatic people.
Get Tested, Stay Healthy
Rapid Covid testing is an effective way to detect COVID-19. Keep your loved ones safe and protect those around you by using one.