Have you been feeling under the weather recently? Or have you been in contact with anyone who is a confirmed case? These are the two main questions that everyone should be asking themselves before they look for COVID-19 testing opportunities. If the answer to either of these questions is yes, you should consider getting tested.
If you have decided that you need to determine if you have the virus, then there is the question of what you test yourself with. There are many options out there on the market now for healthcare professionals and the average person to test for COVID-19. These include but are not limited to the antigen tests like the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and blood tests like the antibody test. Read on to find out more about what do you do when you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Symptoms of COVID-19
There is a spectrum of COVID-19 symptoms, ranging from mild and not requiring medical attention to the extremely critical or even no symptoms at all. Here is a list of common ailments to look out for:
Fever
Breathlessness
Nausea and vomiting
Headaches
Loss of smell or taste
More serious symptoms would include difficulty breathing, loss of movement or speech and chest pressure or pain. These would necessitate a trip down to the hospital as soon as possible and to have healthcare professionals ascertain your health condition.
If you do have any of the milder common symptoms, the first thing to do is to self-isolate. Next, note down your close contacts and places you have visited in the past 14 days before the development and when you first started experiencing any discomfort. This is because the virus’ incubation period is between five to seven days but can even extend up to 14. Not only will this help with identifying anyone who could have been exposed to COVID-19 should you test positive, but the timeframe from symptom onset may affect the accuracy of your test results.
Which Test Should You Take?
The two most common tests are the antigen tests and the antibody tests. There are self-test kits for both that are ideal for anyone who does not require special care and is thinking of testing themselves at home.
For the antibody test, it determines if you have had COVID-19 before by measuring immunoglobulin G (lgG) and immunoglobulin M (lgM) levels to decide if you are having or have had a COVID-19 infection in the past. This is helpful because if can determine if you have been exposed even after you have recovered. However, since the human body takes about one to two weeks to develop antibodies, the antibody test would not be accurate you have only had symptoms for a week or less.
On the other hand, antigen tests look for the active COVID-19 virus and can therefore more reliably determine who currently has COVID-19. However, the nasal swab apparatus that is normally used can be uncomfortable and the technology and skills required to conduct and determine the results of an antigen test are more advanced.
When and what you get tested with will generally be highly reliant on the duration since your last exposure or the onset of symptoms. If possible, it might even be beneficial to get tested with both to have a greater understanding of the state of your infection.
Schedule a Consultation Today
If you are still unsure on what test to take, the best way to figure out is to schedule a consultation with our team of friendly professionals who can further advise you on which test best suits your needs. With over 15 years of collective experience, the team behind Linear Dx is dedicated to your needs by providing high quality care and a safer environment for everyone.
