Can you trust a negative COVID-19 test?
After gathering for the holidays, many people are wondering if they need to get tested for coronavirus.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people who have symptoms of coronavirus and people who have come into contact with someone who had COVID-19 should get tested.
For people who were exposed to the virus and are unvaccinated, the CDC recommends that they get tested immediately and to not take a negative test at face value. People who are unvaccinated and exposed to COVID-19 should get a second test five to seven days after their initial exposure, or if they develop symptoms.
The recommendations change depending on whether or not someone is vaccinated. Vaccinated people who are feeling sick, and test negative, should be able to trust their test results, according to Dr. David Weber, an infectious disease specialist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
If a vaccinated person is directly exposed to the virus, they should wear a mask for the next 10 days and stay home for at least 5 days after exposure, Weber said. Fully vaccinated people exposed to the virus should get tested five to seven days after their last exposure, according to the CDC.
“If you are asymptomatic and the PCR test is negative, it’s probably a true negative and just go on with your life," he said. "But, keep in mind if you’re exposed that doesn’t mean you can’t test positive the next day.”
People who are exposed, but have their booster shot, should wear a mask for 10 days but don't necessarily need a COVID-19 test. If the exposed person is feeling sick, the CDC recommends getting a test five days after being initially exposed. This recommendation also applies to people who have got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the past two months or received the Pfizer or Moderna shots within 6 months.
People who are unvaccinated and exposed to the virus need to be tested immediately. Regardless of vaccination status, if someone took a rapid antigen test, they should follow it up with a PCR test, Weber said.
If someone tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, they should isolate at home for at least 10 days. If they are no longer symptomatic after five days, that person can leave their house but continue to wear a mask for the next five days. People who have prolonged fevers (a temperature of more than 100.4 degrees) for more than 10 days should contact their medical provider and continue to stay home, the CDC says.
