Only read your results within the time window that the COVID-19 test instructions give you.Īnd, depending on your results and your exposure history, you may need to repeat the test again in 48 hours, the Food and Drug Administration says. So it's important to know what you're doing before you get into it.ĭon't read the test too early or too late, the experts said, because that may give you a false-negative or false-positive result. Tests from different brands may be similar, but they're not identical. If rapid antigen tests are stored in an environment that's too cold or too hot, they may give inaccurate results, including false negatives.Īnd when you're ready to take the test, read the instructions fully before starting. When using a home rapid test, it's important to avoid some common mistakes, experts told previously.įirst, be sure to store the tests properly (and at the right temperature). It's especially important to test before gathering indoors with people who are at a higher risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms, such as older adults, people who are immunocompromised and children who are too young to be vaccinated, the CDC says. Try to take the test as close to the start time of the event as you can in order to get the most accurate results possible, the CDC advises. And, if your results are negative, consider testing again in 24 to 48 hours.įinally, you should self-test for COVID-19 before attending an indoor gathering. To avoid testing too early in an infection, the CDC recommends testing five days after the exposure. You should also take a test if you're exposed to someone who has COVID-19, the CDC says. For instance, you might also experience fever, chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, the CDC says. ![]() Keep in mind, though, that there are other possible symptoms of COVID-19. According to the ongoing ZOE Health Study, the most common COVID-19 symptoms right now include: You should take a COVID-19 test at home in a few specific scenarios, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explain.įirst, if you have noticeable symptoms that could be related to COVID-19, you should take a test. Here's what you need to know about taking a rapid COVID-19 test and figuring out what your results mean - even if they're a little faint or hard to parse. And with so many people relying on at-home rapid tests to make gathering with loved ones safer during the winter holiday season, it's important to make sure you know how to actually use and interpret those tests. So, if you start to feel symptoms like congestion, cough or fever, being able to accurately test yourself for COVID-19 at home can help clarify which illness you might have. New coronavirus variants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 continue to spread along with the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the common cold. I also wanted to know more about what the tests are actually measuring, what that line actually means and whether a darker or lighter positive line on a COVID-19 test can tell you anything about your individual infection. The whole experience got me thinking about how confusing it can be to take a rapid test at home, especially if your results seem ambiguous like mine. ![]() Was I actually positive for COVID-19 or just tricking myself? Unfortunately, when I took another test the next day, it came back with a much darker line - and confirmed that I had COVID-19. In fact, it was so faint that it didn't even show up in photos. This summer, after more than two years of evading COVID-19, I tested positive on a home rapid test.
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