Information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Testing

If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, or other symptoms), isolate yourself. You should get tested immediately, even if you are fully vaccinated, had a previous COVID-19 diagnosis, or already had a negative test. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice. Most people have mild illness and are able to recover at home.

When caring for a person with COVID-19 at home or in a non-healthcare setting, follow the CDC's advice to protect yourself and others.

Not fully vaccinated: People who may have been exposed to COVID-19 should get tested immediately and again 5 to 7 days after exposure even if their first test was negative. They should stay home, avoid close contact with others, and monitor their health for 14 days. If they develop any COVID-19 symptoms, contact a healthcare provider. Review CDC information on When to Quarantine.

Fully vaccinated: Fully vaccinated people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms do not need to be tested following an exposure to someone with COVID-19.

Tested Positive within Past 3 Months: People who tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered do not need to get tested following an exposure as long as they do not develop new/worsening symptoms.

• People with symptoms of COVID-19 (regardless of vaccination status)
• People who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19
  • Fully vaccinated people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms do not need to be tested following an exposure to someone with COVID-19.
  • People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered do not need to get tested following an exposure as long as they do not develop new/worsening symptoms.
• People who have taken part in activities that put them at higher risk for COVID-19 because they cannot physically distance as needed, such as travel, attending large social or mass gatherings, or being in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor settings
• People who have been asked or referred to get testing by their healthcare provider or the health department.

If you have symptoms, use CDC’s Coronavirus Self-Checker to help make decisions about when to seek testing and medical care. Call 9-1-1 right away if you are having a medical emergency.

There are two main types of tests for COVID-19: viral tests (PCR or antigen) and antibody tests.

1. A viral test tells you if you have a current infection by looking for parts of the virus. Swabs that take samples from the nose or throat, or saliva, are used for these tests. Currently, there are two main viral tests used to detect COVID-19:
   1. Molecular tests (also called PCR tests) that look for the virus’s genetic material, and
   2. Antigen tests that look for a specific protein that is part of the virus. (Antigen tests can be easy to run and may cost less than molecular tests, but are not always as accurate as molecular tests.)
2. An antibody test tells you if you had a previous infection.

Virginia Department of Health's Interim COVID-19 Testing Guidance for Healthcare Providershas the latest testing information for healthcare providers. If testing is not available through commercial labs, clinicians may request testing for patients with the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) by contacting the Arlington County Public Health Division.

If you test positive for COVID-19 (even if you have been fully vaccinated), follow these steps to care for yourself and to help protect others:

• Anyone who is confirmed via lab testing to have COVID-19 is contacted by the County's Health Department.
• The health department conducts a "contact investigation" to identify additional people who came in close contact with individuals in order to decrease the spread of the illness. Those close contacts will be self-quarantined and actively monitored for COVID-19 symptoms like fever and respiratory symptoms. If close contacts start experiencing symptoms, they will be tested immediately.
• The health department routinely conducts contact investigations for other communicable diseases like measles and tuberculosis–and now, COVID-19–to determine who is at high risk for exposure to stop the spread of the disease.

Virginia Department of Health: What to do if you have confirmed or suspected coronavirus disease (COVID-19)?

If you test negative for COVID-19, you probably were not infected at the time your specimen was collected. However, that does not mean you will not get sick. It is possible that you were very early in your infection at the time of your specimen collection and that you could test positive later, or you could be exposed later and then develop illness. In other words, a negative test result does not rule out getting sick later. Continue to take steps to protect yourself.