Avoid indoor gatherings and, if you live with others, wear a mask. If you test positive, isolate yourself for at least 10 days, and tell your doctor and any people with whom you’ve recently had contact. Discard them in the trash, clean all surfaces the sample might have touched and wash your hands. Once you’ve taken the test, don’t reuse any of the items, the CDC says. If you don’t follow the instructions, your test results could be incorrect or invalid or say “error.” If this happens - due to improper use or test malfunction - check the package inserts for information or contact the manufacturer for help. Read the test results only within the timeframe specified in the instructions, the CDC says. To collect your nasal or saliva sample - depending on the type of test you have - and complete the test, chronologically follow the included instructions.
When you open the box, check the test for any damage or discoloration according to the manufacturer’s description. Then, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Have a timer ready since you might need to time some of the steps.Ĭarefully read all the manufacturer’s instructions, the CDC recommends. This includes not opening it until you’re ready to use it.īefore taking the test, clean the surface - such as the countertop, table, etc. Until you’re ready to use the test, store all test items according to the manufacturer’s instructions, the CDC says. Here’s what else is important to know for before, during and after taking a self-test. This suggestion is especially important if you’re planning on being around unvaccinated children, older adults, immunocompromised people or those at risk of severe disease - and, of course, if you have Covid-19 symptoms or have been exposed or possibly exposed to someone with Covid-19. When you’re buying self-tests, make sure they’re not expired.Ĭonsider using a self-test before joining indoor gatherings with people who don’t live with you, the CDC recommends. Some local health departments or Federally Qualified Health Centers offer them for free, the CDC says. “It might require going to multiple pharmacies in order to find at-home tests,” she added. Though depending on where you are in the country, actually getting your hands on a test might be difficult right now, Wen said. You can buy these tests online or in pharmacies and some retail stores. The agency’s website has a list of more than 40 FDA-authorized home tests, some of which have age limitations. Only buy tests authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration, Wen said. “Think about the at-home rapid test as a screening test … for public health purposes, not a diagnostic test,” Wen added. “The at-home antigen tests should be used, ideally, when you are asymptomatic and the likelihood of you having Covid is pretty low, but you’re using it for assurance purposes.” “If you have symptoms or were substantially exposed to someone with Covid-19, you should go get a PCR test.
Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. These tests can be taken at home or anywhere, regardless of your vaccination status or whether you have symptoms, and are easy to use for quick results, the CDC says.Īs of November 2021, self-tests detect current coronavirus infections, not antibodies to the virus, according to the CDC.Įveryone should have at least two home tests for every family member, said CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Coronavirus self-tests - also known as home tests or over-the-counter tests - are one of several risk-reduction measures that can protect you and others by reducing the chances of spreading coronavirus, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.