How Often Should You Get Tested
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How Often Should You Get Tested
When Should You Get Tested After a COVID-19 Exposure?
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If you’re not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, get tested five days after having close contact with someone who has COVID-19. Experts say it’s important to wait, because testing earlier than recommended may result in a false negative. Symptomatic individuals are recommended to get tested as soon as possible.
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Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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Carla M. Delgado is a health and culture writer based in the Philippines.
Nick Blackmer is a librarian, fact-checker, and researcher with more than 20 years’ experience in consumer-oriented health and wellness content.
Coming in close contact with a person who has COVID-19, which means being less than six feet away from them for a cumulative total of at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period, increases your likelihood of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2. 1
Although being up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations does help reduce the risk of infection, it’s still important to get tested even if you don’t develop symptoms. Here’s what you should do if you were recently exposed to COVID-19.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), individuals who’ve had close contact with someone who has COVID-19 should get tested at least five days after exposure. While waiting to get tested, go into quarantine and don’t travel anywhere. 2
If you’re experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, get tested right away.
“You can do a rapid or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) before this period if you have symptoms,” LaTasha Perkins, MD , a family physician at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital , told Verywell. “And you can trust that it is positive if it’s positive before three to five days. It’s the false negatives we are trying to avoid.”
A COVID-19 test result represents whether the sample contains enough of the virus’s genetic material at the particular moment of testing to show a positive result or not. Because the virus takes time to build up in the system, testing earlier than recommended may result in a false negative.
“If [you’ve tested] within three days of the exposure, a negative result should be viewed with caution because you still might come up positive over the next few days,” Andy Pekosz, PhD , virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Verywell.
The incubation period of SARS-CoV-2—the amount of time between infection and symptom onset—can take up to 14 days. That’s why the CDC recommends screening for COVID-19 weekly if you’ve been exposed. 3 The average incubation period for Omicron, however, is estimated to be two to four days, which is shorter than earlier variants. 4
“We assume that BA.2.12.1 is similar to other Omicron variants, but there isn’t any good data specific to this subvariant that I’m aware of,” Pekosz said.
There are two main types of COVID-19 diagnostic tests: antigen tests and molecular tests. The PCR test, a type of molecular test, is generally more sensitive and more accurate than rapid antigen tests.
The PCR test can turn positive faster than the rapid antigen test because it is designed to detect even small amounts of virus, Pekosz said. However, it may be better to wait out the recommended five days before testing.
“PCR [tests] are going to be more accurate regardless of time, but waiting increases its accuracy,” Perkins said. “If you wait, one test should suffice, unless you develop symptoms or are later exposed.”
Symptomatic people who test negative with an antigen test should confirm the result with a PCR test because it might be a false negative. 5
Some COVID-19 at-home test kits come with two tests inside. That allows people to take both tests a few days apart to increase the chances of an accurate result. According to a 2021 study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases , all testing types are more than 98% sensitive in detecting a COVID-19 infection if used at least every 3 days. 6
“It takes a couple of days for the virus to replicate enough to be detected by a COVID-19 test, so it’s good to test a few times after a known exposure,” Pekosz said.
You need to get tested five days after being exposed to someone who has COVID-19. For more accurate results, it’s best to opt for a PCR test. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, there is no need to wait. Get tested immediately.
The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page .
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Quarantine and isolation .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Test for current infection .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What we know about quarantine and isolation .
Smith RL, Gibson LL, Martinez PP, et al. Longitudinal assessment of diagnostic test performance over the course of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection . J Infect Dis . 2021;224(6):976–982. doi:10.1093/infdis/jiab337
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COVID-19 tests can detect either SARS-CoV-2 or biomarkers of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, or antibodies that your body makes after getting COVID-19 or after getting vaccinated.
Tests for SARS-CoV-2 tell you if you have an infection at the time of the test. This type of test is called a “viral” test because it looks for viral infection. Antigen tests, Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) and other tests are viral tests.
Tests for antibodies may tell you if you have had a past infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. Your body creates antibodies after getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 or after getting vaccinated against COVID-19. These tests are called “antibody” or “serology” tests.
Testing is very important to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. You should always discuss your test results with your healthcare provider.
A viral test tells you if you are infected with SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19, using samples that come from your nose or mouth. There are two types of viral tests: rapid tests and laboratory tests. COVID-19 testing is one of many risk-reduction measures, along with vaccination, masking, and physical distancing, that protect you and others by reducing the chances of spreading COVID-19.
An antibody test (also known as a serology test) can detect antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in your blood. Antibodies are proteins that your immune system makes to help fight infection and protect you from getting sick in the future.
Antibody tests should not be used to diagnose a current infection, but they may indicate if you had a past infection. Antibody tests help learn about how human immune systems defend against the virus, as well as learn about population-level protection. If you get an antibody test after receiving a vaccine , you might test positive by some (but not all) antibody tests. This depends on which type of antibody the specific test detects.
Antibody testing is not currently recommended to determine:
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Knowing your HIV status gives you powerful information to keep you and your partner healthy.
CDC recommends everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once .
People with certain risk factors should get tested more often. You should get tested at least once a year if:
Before having sex for the first time with a new partner, talk about your sexual and drug-use history, disclose your HIV status, and consider getting tested for HIV together.
If you’re a sexually active gay or bisexual man, you may benefit from more frequent testing (every 3 to 6 months). Talk to your health care provider about your risk factors and what testing options are available to you.
All pregnant people should get tested for HIV so they can take steps to stay healthy and protect their baby.
CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care , and more often if you do things that might increase your chance of getting HIV.
Even if both you and your partner are having sex only with each other, you should both find out your HIV status.
HIV tests are covered by health insurance without a co-pay, as required by the Affordable Care Act. If you do not have medical insurance, some places offer free or low-cost tests.
Your experience may be different depending on the setting.
If you get an HIV test in a health care setting or lab, the health care provider will take a sample of blood or oral fluid.
Your health care provider may talk with you about your risk factors, answer any questions you might have, and discuss next steps.
If you are tested outside of a health care setting or a lab, you will likely receive a rapid test (oral fluid or finger stick). The counselor providing the test should be able to answer questions and provide referrals for follow-up testing, if needed.
Learn more about what a negative or positive test result means.
Get tailored information about your risk and learn how to protect yourself.
Download resources from the Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign.
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