Six Things To Not Do When It Comes To Covid Testing
Posted on: 13 January 2022
Covid tests are an important tool that is available in the fight against Covid. However, testing has to be done properly when it's needed for it to be effective.
Unfortunately, there are some commonly made mistakes out there regarding Covid testing. The following are six things to not do when it comes to Covid testing.
Procrastinating about getting tested
You need to get tested for Covid as soon as possible after you've started showing symptoms or after you've been in contact with an infected person. Procrastinating before you get tested could make it possible for you to spread a Covid infection to others before you become aware of it.
Neglecting to quarantine and wear your mask while waiting for a result
Those who undergo a test for Covid sometimes make the mistake of continuing to go about activities normally until they receive their positive result.
However, instead, those who are tested should begin quarantining and wearing their mask immediately while out in public until they know for sure that their results are negative.
Failing to notify those who you've come into contact with that you've got a positive result
Ideally, you're using a contact tracing app that will make it easy to identify many of the people you've been in contact with since you've been infected.
After testing positive, you should do what you can to get the word out that you have Covid so others can get tested if necessary to find out if they are also contagious.
Being unaware of the availability of rapid tests
Initially, there were no rapid Covid tests available and it was necessary to wait for test results. However, rapid tests that can provide results quickly are more widely available now. If you need to undergo a test, you should get a rapid test done if possible so that you'll know the results right away.
Assuming you don't need to get tested if you've been vaccinated
By now, many people out there have already undergone a full vaccination course against Covid. However, you shouldn't be thinking that being tested for Covid isn't important after you've been vaccinated.
While breakthrough cases of Covid in vaccinated people remain relatively rare, they're still a possibility. You should go ahead with getting tested if you are showing Covid symptoms or if you have potentially been exposed even if you are fully vaccinated.
Getting no future tests after you test positive
In some cases, you might want to undergo follow-up tests after you've had a few days to recover. This is especially true if you've shown Covid symptoms. In many cases, it's best to continue quarantining until you've gotten a negative result on a follow-up test so that you avoid spreading Covid to others.
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