{"id":17735,"date":"2022-01-21T23:59:26","date_gmt":"2022-01-21T23:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=17735"},"modified":"2024-05-13T20:23:18","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T20:23:18","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-about-covid-19-diagnostic-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-covid-19-diagnostic-tests\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything you need to know about COVID-19 diagnostic tests","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019ve got COVID-19 symptoms or maybe you just found out you\u2019ve been exposed to someone who has the virus. It\u2019s time for a test, but what kind should you get? Will it detect omicron? What should you do if you test positive?<\/p>\n

Below Michael Myint, MD, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist with MultiCare, and Mary Fairchok, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Mary Bridge Children\u2019s<\/a> answer common questions about COVID-19 testing.<\/p>\n

What types of diagnostic tests are available for COVID-19?<\/h2>\n

There are two main types of tests that determine a current COVID-19 infection: antigen tests and molecular tests.<\/p>\n

Molecular tests<\/strong>: These tests search for traces of the virus\u2019s genetic material. The most common type of molecular test is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Whether taken at home or at a designated testing site, the results must be processed by a lab.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe PCR test is the most accurate test that\u2019s available because it can detect very low levels of the virus,\u201d says Dr. Fairchok.<\/p>\n

Antigen tests (also known as rapid tests)<\/strong>: Antigen tests identify proteins from the virus. These tests are fast (often providing results in approximately 15 minutes) and can be fully completed at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile convenient and relatively inexpensive, the downside to these tests is that they aren\u2019t as sensitive as PCR tests, so they are less likely to pick up early cases of COVID-19 or infections where there are no symptoms,\u201d says Dr. Myint.<\/p>\n

How reliable are these tests in detecting omicron?<\/h2>\n

Overall, antigen tests and molecular tests perform well at detecting omicron and other known variants. However, both tests may be less likely to identify an early-stage infection with omicron than previous variants.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and you get a negative test result from an at-home rapid test, take it again in 24 hours.\u201d says Dr. Myint. \u201cIf you get a positive result, you can be confident that it\u2019s accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m having trouble finding a test. Can I just go to the emergency department or an urgent care center to get one?<\/h2>\n

Unless you are experiencing severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath<\/a>, you should not<\/strong> go to an emergency department. We also recommend that you do not walk into an urgent care center to get a COVID-19 test, as both EDs and urgent cares are experiencing very high patient volumes.<\/p>\n

Instead, seek out a community testing site<\/a> or schedule a virtual visit with MultiCare Indigo Online Care<\/a>, which can direct you to an appropriate Indigo location for testing as needed. An at-home testing kit may also be an option depending on your situation.<\/p>\n

Should I keep a stock of tests at home and what kind should I get?<\/h2>\n

Yes, it\u2019s helpful to keep a few boxes of tests at home. As the omicron variant continues to spread rapidly, timely appointments at testing sites have become more difficult to obtain. There are several situations where having a cache of these tests on hand can be useful:<\/p>\n