Testing too soon? When you should get tested for COVID-19

ALBANY, Ga. –  With COVID-19 cases on the rise, officials are actually discouraging people from getting tested… too soon. The Southwest Georgia Public Health District swabs around 2,400 noses a day. But officials say some of those tests are being wasted on people who aren’t waiting long enough for the virus to actually show.

“If I were to be exposed to the COVID-19 virus today, I may get sick but I’m not going to get sick today or tomorrow,” says Dr. Charles Ruis, the Southwest District director for the Georgia Department of Public Health.

It takes at least 48 hours for COVID-19 to make a person sick. Which is why anyone who might have been exposed to the virus but who isn’t showing obvious signs should quarantine for 14 days regardless of a test result. 

“We just don’t know if we’re going to be sick or not until we wait the full 14 days.”

Testing too early could result in an inaccurate diagnosis. 

“If you’re exposed today and you get tested today or tomorrow it’s not going to tell us anything, it takes a couple of days. Actually, if you have been exposed to the virus and if you’re only going to get one test we would prefer you wait until about the 8th or 10th day after exposure.”

And for anyone who does test positive Dr. Ruis doesn’t recommend taking the test a second time.

“Once you have that first positive test there is almost never a reason to have another COVID-19 test we’re usually going to continue to test positive weeks and weeks and weeks beyond the time the infection is gone… It waste valuable supplies.”

You can find a testing site near you by clicking here.