Testing

Accessible testing is an important tool in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Explore your options for available and easy-to-use COVID tests, and learn about FDA recommendations regarding COVID testing and safety measures.

COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know | CDC

Find free COVID-19 Testing (cdc.gov)

We all encounter patients with symptoms that may be consistent with COVID-19 infection who use at home testing to rule out infection. How confident are we that these tests are sensitive enough? During November 2022–May 2023, among persons infected with SARS-CoV-2, sensitivity of rapid antigen tests was 47% compared with RT-PCR and 80% compared with viral culture. Antigen tests continue to detect potentially transmissible infection but miss many infections identified by positive RT-PCR test results. The implications are that PCR testing should be strongly considered for patients who are at risk for severe infection and eligible for anti-viral treatment. It also suggests that PCR tests may also result in false positives compared to viral culture. SARS-CoV-2 Viral Shedding and Rapid Antigen Test Performance — Respiratory Virus Transmission Network, November 2022–May 2023 | MMWR (cdc.gov) - April 25, 2024

This large prospective cohort study supports the rationale behind the CDC recommendation of rapid antigen testing twice 48hrs apart in symptomatic people and 3 times 48 hours apart in asymptomatic people, with sensitivity compared to PCR of 93.4% among symptomatic individuals. Performance of Rapid Antigen Tests to Detect Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Prospective Cohort Study: Annals of Internal Medicine: Vol 0, No 0 (acpjournals.org) - July 2023