COVID-19 and Your Health

COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to KnowUpdated May 2, 2024Español | Other LanguagesPrintMinusRelated PagesCOVID-19 testing can help you know if you have COVID-19 so you can decide what to do next, like getting treatmentto reduce your risk of severe illness and taking steps to lower your chances of spreading the virus to others.When you get tested:Choose the right type of test for your circumstanceFor antigen tests, follow test directions as recommended by FDA and the test manufacturerIf you do not, your results may be less likely to correctly indicate whether you have COVID-19 or not.On This PageTypes of TestsChoosing a COVID-19 TestGetting a COVID-19 TestPositive Test ResultNegative Test ResultTypes of TestsViral tests look for a current infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, by testing specimens from your nose or mouth.There are two main types of viral tests:Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testsAntigen testsPCR TestsPCR tests are the “gold standard” for COVID-19 t...