The Ultimate Guide to COVID Testing: Everything You Need to Know

Covid-19 cases are still reported in the United States and threaten general public health and safety. However, the frequency of active cases is low compared to 2020. But still, there is a need to have preventive measures in place. Therefore, the importance of coronavirus testing has been officially acknowledged by officials. It is a viable tool for preventing infection and can save more lives from mortality. Therefore, being a responsible US citizen, you should take advantage of the opportunity to undergo testing when feeling the symptoms of covid. Covid testing near Wilmington CA is available for the public and can be obtained safely from healthcare experts. In CA, urgent care clinics perform diagnostic and antibody testing for covid. So, check below why covid testing is crucial and how to get it rightly.

Viral testing for covid-19

It is also referred to as diagnostic testing, which aims at confirming your current health status. It can check if you are currently suffering from a coronavirus infection. In this testing, a swab will be placed into your nose or mouth to gather samples. This test is generally performed as a laboratory test which is known as a PCR test as well. Another one is known as a rapid test which checks for a portion of the virus called antigens.

PCR or laboratory testing

As the name implies, this test works by evaluating the samples in clinical laboratories. A healthcare expert will collect the saliva with a cotton swab from your nose. The sample collected will be examined in the lab through a microscope. It will be checked for the growth of bacteria that can confirm active coronavirus infection. A PCR test can deliver highly accurate results but may take 2-3 days. This test is often recommended to people with covid-like symptoms.

Rapid or antigen test

As the name implies, this test offers rapid results in 15 minutes. It is also an officially endorsed form of covid testing near Wilmington CA. It can deliver instant results to state whether your result is positive or negative. This test is best if you have no active symptoms of covid but want to take prevention measures. You can undergo this testing if you are traveling to another place. Also, this testing is recommended for employees working together in specific areas. Under this testing, the sample is collected using a cotton swab from the nose and throat. The sample is then checked by placing it on a testing kit.

Antibody testing

It is not a diagnostic covid test but is paramount in preventing community spread. It checks for past covid infections by confirming the formation of antibodies in the blood. You may have positive antibody results if your body has created antibodies to defend itself from coronavirus. This test works by drawing blood from the veins to check in the lab. However, the results of this test can vary from person to person. Also, it poses the risk of developing false positive and negative results. If you undertake this test early to develop covid symptoms, you may get inaccurate results. The human body takes at least 14 days to develop antibodies for combating viral infections. So, one must take antibody tests after 14 days of exposure to covid-like symptoms. This test is also performed by the experts at the urgent care clinic in Wilmington.

When should you undertake covid testing?

The need for testing may arise with different scenarios. You might have to get covid testing near Wilmington CA, when you have a cold, cough, and breathlessness. However, these symptoms do not mean you are infected with the coronavirus. But, getting testing can confirm if you need to have a diagnosis on a priority basis. Similarly, you may require testing when you have met with a person who has coronavirus. In such instances, the person you met may not know they are infected. So, the infection may be passed to you unintentionally. Therefore, to seek the safe side, you must get tested for covid-19.

What do covid test results mean?

As you know, that covid testing sites are bustling due to rising cases. So, it is better to outreach urgent care clinics for safe and hassle-free testing. These are the best places that offer convenience to locals for testing and other healthcare services. You can visit one in Wilmington and can get testing without long waits. The healthcare professionals will collect samples from your nose and throat to check the results. If the result is positive, you may be advised for home isolation and medication. You must maintain social distancing to protect yourself from infection if the result is negative.

Conclusion

Keeping yourself safe and getting an expert diagnosis is the key to survival. If you are experiencing covid-19 symptoms, don’t hesitate to undergo covid testing near Wilmington CA. It helps you to detect the virus earlier for quick diagnosis and recovery. If you are home-isolated, you can get covid test kit at home from the urgent care clinic. It enables you to have self-testing to detect the coronavirus infection.