Did You Just Take A Covid Test? 4 Things To Do If Your Corona Virus Test Is Positive

Posted on: 27 June 2022

What should you do after a positive Covid test? Whether you were exposed to someone who has Covid or you have Covid-like symptoms (such as congestion, a cough, a fever, a headache, or body aches), you recently went to your doctor or a community healthcare provider for a coronavirus test. If this test was positive, take a look at what you need to know about Covid, your health, and the next steps.

Start Your Quarantine Immediately

Some healthcare centers and coronavirus test clinics provide rapid results. These antigen tests can give you a positive or a negative while you wait. But in some cases, you may also need to take a PCR test. 

PCR tests do not provide almost-immediate results. This means you will need to go home and wait. Talk to your medical provider about whether you should isolate yourself at home during this time and how to reduce the risks to those around you or household members. 

If you do have a positive Covid-19 test (via either an in-office rapid test or a PCR test), you are contagious and will need to quarantine. People who test positive for Covid should isolate themselves from others (including anyone who you live with—such as a spouse, partner, roommate, relative, or your children) for at least five days from a positive test or at least five days after the onset of symptoms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Count the day of the test or the first day of symptoms as day zero.

Talk To Your Medical Provider

Covid symptoms may differ from person to person. The same goes for the severity and progression of the illness. One person could have the sniffles, while another has a high fever, severe cough, muscle aches, and other more serious health issues. 

If you have concerns, serious symptoms, or an underlying medical condition that could put you at a higher risk for complications, talk to your medical provider. A healthcare professional can help you to find relief from your symptoms or may want to monitor the progression of your illness. 

Ask About Treatment Options

While there isn't a magic treatment that can immediately cure Covid, antiviral medication and monoclonal antibodies may reduce the severity of your symptoms or help to shorten the recovery process. Again, talk to your medical provider. Some clinics can prescribe or administer these new treatments, while others may need to refer you to another healthcare setting or clinician. 

Wear A Face Mask

Only end the five-day isolation period if your symptoms have improved and you are fever-free for at least 24 hours, according to the CDC. If you do feel better by day six, you can go into public settings—provided you wear a well-fitting face mask at all times through day 10 of your illness. This can reduce the risks to those around you and help you to stop the spread of the disease. 

For more information about Covid tests, contact a local doctor. 

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