COVID-19 Virus Test (Current Infection) Result Instructions

While you are waiting for test results:

  • If you were tested because you had symptoms of COVID-19 or an exposure or possible exposure to someone with COVID-19, stay at home and self-isolate from other people and pets in a “sick room” and use a separate bathroom, if possible.
    • Symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever of 100⁰ F or above, chills, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
  • Get rest and stay hydrated. Take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen, to help you feel better.
  • If you develop trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake or bluish lips or face, seek emergency medical care immediately! Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility. Notify the operator that you are seeking care because you may have COVID-19.

View instructions on how to view and/or transmit your test results

POSITIVE TEST RESULT

If your test is POSITIVE and you have or had symptoms of COVID-19, you should:

  • Continue to stay at home, self-isolate, and take care of yourself as above.
  • Get care or call 911 if you have trouble breathing, persistent chest pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake up or stay awake, bluish lips or face, or if you think it is an emergency. Advise the person you speak with that you have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • You can leave isolation on:
    • Day 6 after the day your symptoms started, which is considered day 0, IF
    • You have not had a fever for 24 hours without the use of anti-fever medications, AND
    • Your symptoms have improved (except for loss of taste or smell, which may last for months).
  • If you do not meet conditions to leave isolation on day 6, you should remain in isolation until day 11.
  • If you leave isolation on day 6, you must wear a well-fitted mask indoors in public and at home and outdoors around others until day 11 after onset of your symptoms.


If your test is POSITIVE and you have had no symptoms of COVID-19, you should:

  • Continue to stay at home and self-isolate as above.
  • Watch for symptoms and take care of yourself as in first section above if they develop, including seeking care or calling 911 if you think it is an emergency.
  • You can leave isolation on day 6 after the date you first tested positive, which is considered day 0, AND you have had no symptoms since the test.
  • You must wear a well-fitted mask indoors in public and at home and outdoors around others until day 11 after onset of your symptoms.
  • Follow the guidance above for a positive test with symptoms if you develop symptoms during the 10 days after your test. Day 0 will then become the date your symptoms started.


If your test is POSITIVE, people you live with and your close contacts should:

  • Stay home until day 6 after their last exposure to you (date of last exposure is day 0) while you are in isolation, with the exception below:
    • If their COVID-19 vaccination series is up-to-date (last Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within past 5 months and booster dose if 5 months or more or J&J vaccine within past 2 months and booster dose if 2 months or more), then
      • They may continue to work wearing a mask indoors at all times and outdoors when exposed to others until day 11 after their last exposure.
  • Watch for symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days after their last exposure to you.
  • If symptoms develop, they should isolate immediately and get tested.
  • Stay away from people who are at higher-risk for getting very sick from COVID-19, if possible.
  • Avoid travel.
  • Get tested if they develop a fever of 100º F or above or other COVID-19 symptoms.
  • Seek immediate care or call 911 if they think it is an emergency. 


NEGATIVE TEST RESULT

If your test is NEGATIVE and you have or had symptoms of COVID-19, your test result may be a false negative and you could still have COVID-19. Unless a doctor gives you a different diagnosis, you should:

  • Continue to stay at home, self-isolate, and take care of yourself as in first section above.
  • Get care or call 911 if you have trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, bluish lips or face, or if you think it is an emergency.
  • You can leave isolation on:
    • Day 6 after the day your symptoms started, which is day 0, IF
    • You have not had a fever for 24 hours without the use of anti-fever medications, AND
    • Your symptoms have improved (except for loss of taste or smell, which may last for months).
  • The people you live with and your close contacts should:
    • Watch for symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days after their last exposure to you.
    • Stay away from people who are at higher-risk for getting very sick from COVID-19, if possible.
    • Get tested if they develop a fever of 100º F or above or other COVID-19 symptoms.
    • Seek immediate care or call 911 if they think it is an emergency.


If your test is NEGATIVE and you have had no symptoms of COVID-19

  • You likely were not infected with COVID-19 at the time your specimen was collected.
  • It is always possible to be symptom-free in the early stages of an infection and have a false negative test result as well.
  • If you had an exposure to a known COVID-19-positive person, you should stay home until day 6 after the last exposure date, which is considered day 0, with the exception below:
    • If your COVID-19 vaccination series is up-to-date (last Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within past 5 months and booster dose if 5 months or more or J&J vaccine within past 2 months and booster dose if 2 months or more), then
      • You may continue to work and leave your home wearing a mask indoors at all times and outdoors when exposed to others until day 11 after your last exposure.
    • Get tested again at least 5 days after your last exposure even if you don’t develop symptoms.
    • Watch for symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days after your last exposure.
    • If symptoms develop, isolate immediately and get tested.
    • Stay away from people who are at higher-risk for getting very sick from COVID-19, if possible.
    • Seek immediate care or call 911 if you think it is an emergency.


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