Have you been going out lately due to your busy schedule? Do you think you have been exposed to coronavirus and are likely to get affected by it? Many of us have these concerns these days because almost every country has active coronavirus cases.
With the spread of COVID-19 there are many questions that are left answered related to the virus and people are confused about many things. One of the most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 is how long after exposure to the virus should you get tested for the virus? In this post, we will be answering the question for our readers.
If you find out you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, should you get tested? If so, when?
Those are the two questions that many people are concerned about these days. The people are requested to quarantine after the exposure because of them is under high risk of contracting the virus. They can also spread the virus themselves. The virus can take 14 days to become detectable, so that is why it is the standard length of the quarantine period. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the people must get tested are:
• People with symptoms of COVID-19
• People who have been in close contact a confirmed COVID-19 case
The people who have been requested and referred to get tested by the health-care providers, the state health department also must get tested. The person who has been exposed to a person with COVID-19 must get tested so that you can find out if you have become infected with the virus or not. In that case, the health care advisors will also get in contact with all the additional people that have been exposed to you so that the spread of viruses can be stopped.
Read more: What Country Has The Most Covid Deaths?
It is important that you get tested early if you think you can be infected so that others can be informed. However, many people test negative early on, and they test positive later on so the time of getting tested can be confusing. If you get a negative test that does not end mean that your quarantine period is over? If you test negative today, there are chances that you may test positive tomorrow, in the coming 14 days. After the 14 days are over there are no chances of testing positive.
Read more: How long are you contagious with Covid-19?
When should get tested for COVID-19?
If you feel that you have symptoms of COVID-19 then you should be tested right away. However, there is no official recommendation by the world health organization for when the asymptomatic people should be tested. It is yet to be known exactly how soon after exposure there are chances of you becoming contagious.
There are many studies that have revealed that almost half of the people who turn positive later on become test positive within four to five days. There are over 97% of people will test positive within 11 1/2 days. So if you remain asymptomatic, you must wait for five days after being exposed and then should get tested. It is also a great idea to have a discussion with your private physician because he can guide you about when you should get tested after examining your situation.
