If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and want to get tested, try calling your state or local health department or a healthcare provider. Supplies of tests are increasing, but it may still be difficult to find a place to get tested, depending on where you live.

Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after being exposed to COVID-19. Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Facts about COVID-19 tests

You may be tested using the diagnostic test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you receive a negative result, that means that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was not found in your sample. However, if you are in the early stages of infection, the virus may not be detected in your sample. If that is the case, you can still spread the virus to others, even if you do not have symptoms.

If you have symptoms but test negative for COVID-19, it is likely that COVID-19 is not causing your current illness.

The process and locations for testing vary from place to place. Contact your state, local, tribal, or territorial department of health for more information, or reach out to a healthcare professional. (State and local public health departments have received tests from the CDC while healthcare providers are getting tests developed by commercial manufacturers.)

Beware of scam testing

Some companies are marketing fraudulent test kits that claim to test for COVID-19 in the home. At this time, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not authorized ANY home tests for COVID-19. The FDA is actively and aggressively monitoring for any companies that may be selling products with false COVID-19 diagnostic, prevention, and treatment claims. Continue reading →