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A shortage of coronavirus tests has been one of the biggest
problems in fighting the spread in the U.S. But screening is slowly becoming
more available. And before the pandemic is over, we may all need to get tested.
But how exactly do they work? Are they painful? When should you
get one?
We have the answers…
How the Coronavirus Test Is
Done
First,
a healthcare worker collects a sample. They use a long, thin swab and insert it up your
nose. They go all the way to the back of your nasal passage to the area where
it connects with your throat (the nasopharynx). They gently place the swab
there to absorb secretions.[1]
Kirsten Hokeness is an
immunology expert. She says that if you “open your mouth and say ‘Ahh’ and look
straight back,” that’s the spot. “The virus likes to latch on there and start
replication.”[2]
It’s not as bad as it
might sound. It’s not extremely painful, but it is uncomfortable. Some people say
it brings tears to their eyes or makes them feel like sneezing.
Do your best to stay
still. The swabbing takes about 10 seconds, but if you fidget, it can take
longer.
The
sample is then placed in a sterile container. It’s sent to a lab. Technicians use a
chemical that removes cells from the swab. They put the sample into liquid
form. That liquid goes into a machine that detects genetic information. The
machine determines whether ribonucleic acid (RNA) from the sample matches
coronavirus.
Experts say the test is
very accurate. It can detect even low levels of the virus. False positives are
rare. This is when a test tells you that you have the virus, but you actually
don’t.
False negatives occur
more often, but are still uncommon. This is when the test tells you that you
don’t have coronavirus, but you actually do.
It’s too soon to know the
accuracy rate for coronavirus screening. But similar tests for the flu are
accurate about 95% of the time.[3]
The amount of time it
takes to get your results varies. Some test sites promise immediate results.
Some clinics might take a few days to a week. Private labs such as Labcorp and
Quest Diagnostics generally take 10 to 14 days.[4]
If you see ads for
“at-home” tests, don’t buy them. The FDA warns that such tests are not
legitimate.[5]
When You Should Get a Coronavirus Test
The main COVID-19
symptoms are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you have them, call your
primary care provider and be sure to self-isolate.
Testing capabilities are limited.
There aren’t nearly enough tests for everybody who wants to get screened.
Health authorities typically reserve tests for:
- People with severe symptoms.
- People with risk factors such as diabetes, lung disease,
heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Every state has its own
protocols that dictate when and how people get tested. To find out what they
are where you live, log on to your state’s health department website. It will
tell you who qualifies for testing, and how and where to get it. You may have
to go to a hospital or clinic. But many states have also set up drive-through
testing sites.
Click HERE for coronavirus testing
information for all U.S. states and territories.
Editor’s Note: Discover the single best supplement for
stronger immunity… The fruit extract that helps 93% of people with
respiratory viruses get better in just two days… The germ hotspot that most
of us forget to sanitize. Find all this and more is in Independent Healing’s
Coronavirus Pandemic Guide. Go HERE.
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[1]https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-how-coronavirus-tests-work-and-who-offers-them/
[2]https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/16/coronavirus-what-expect-when-you-get-tested-covid-19/5061120002/
[3] https://abcnews.go.com/US/concerned-false-negative-coronavirus-test-quarantine-experts/story?id=69921187
[4]https://abc13.com/health/heres-how-long-results-take-to-come-back-from-covid-19-tests/6068585/
[5] https://www.npr.org/2020/04/02/824437247/exclusive-california-company-under-scrutiny-for-at-home-coronavirus-test-claims
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