


That can include even those who are symptomatic, because their symptoms may be related to the immune system's response and not just the virus, Gronvall told the NYT. Juliet Morrison, a microbiologist at the University of California, Riverside, also noted that in such cases vaccination “keeps the viral load below the level of detection." "Multiple negative tests increases the confidence that you are not infected with the virus that causes COVID-19." "Consider repeating the test 24 to 48 hours later," the guidance states. The CDC recommends those who test negative, test again 24-48 hours after their first test. Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, told Moyer that because vaccination helps keep the virus from replicating too quickly, it may keep people who received the COVID vaccine from testing positive right away, or even at all. When she inquired with experts as to why that may be, she learned that vaccination status can also play a role.ĭr. In a recent New York Times article, science journalist Melinda Wenner Moyer wrote that while her daughter tested positive for COVID, other members of her family who developed symptoms soon after did not. "If you never had a positive at-home test and you're still not having a positive at-home test, almost certainly, your level of virus was pretty low," she said. She noted that in some cases, a negative test could be because levels of viral load may be lower, "and the chance of you spreading it is lower, but it's not zero." "If it's positive, it's positive, like we don't worry about false positives," Arwady said. That can be for a variety of reasons.Īccording to the Mayo Clinic, "the risk of false-negative or false-positive test results depends on the type and sensitivity of the COVID-19 diagnostic test, thoroughness of the sample collection, and accuracy of the lab analysis."Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "positive results from self-tests are highly reliable." Negative results, however, may not rule out infection, particularly in those with COVID-19 symptoms, the CDC states. When it comes to testing accuracy, positive results are more reliable than negative, officials said. Illinois Department of Public Health Acting Director Amaal Tokars this week urged anyone who is sick to stay home, saying the state has seen a 10% increase in cases since the Memorial Day holiday. How Long Can You Test Positive for COVID Following Infection?
