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  3. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
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COVID-19

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  • Long COVID
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  • Disabilities & Unique Health Needs During COVID-19
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COVID-19

  • COVID-19 Home
  • Situation Update
  • About COVID-19
  • Testing
  • Vaccine
  • Protect Yourself & Others
  • Medications
  • Materials & Resources
  • Stories of Community Outreach & Partnership

Information for

  • Health Care
  • Prisons, Detention Centers, & Homeless Service Sites
  • Schools & Child Care
  • Institutions of Higher Education

Related Topics

  • Long COVID
  • Health Equity and COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Contracts for Diverse Media Messaging & Community Outreach
  • Disabilities & Unique Health Needs During COVID-19
  • Infectious Respiratory Illness
Contact Info
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division
IDEPC: 651-201-5414
IDEPC Comment Form

Contact Info

Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division
IDEPC: 651-201-5414
IDEPC Comment Form

COVID-19 Testing

On this page:
Why to test
Where to test
When to test
Which test to take

Why to test

  • Avoid spreading COVID-19 to the people around you.
  • Figure out if you need to get COVID-19 Medications.
  • Decide if you should postpone a visit to someone at high risk of becoming very sick.
  • Make a plan to work virtually instead of in-person.

Find out more, CDC: Testing and Respiratory Viruses.

Where to test

  • Test anywhere, on your own, with a self-test:
    • Buy self-tests at your local pharmacy or other retailers.
    • If you have health insurance, ask your pharmacy or health insurance company if they provide tests at no charge to you.
    • Carefully follow instructions for self-tests and avoid using expired tests. Visit U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA): At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests.
  • If you don't have health insurance, Search for No-Cost COVID-19 Testing using the CDC's testing locator tool.

When to test

  • If you have symptoms, test immediately.
    CDC: Symptoms of COVID-19
  • For self-tests, follow FDA’s guidance on repeating the test to make sure you don’t miss detecting the infection.
    FDA: At-Home COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests: FAQs: I got a negative test result on an at-home COVID-19 antigen test. Do I need to take another test?
  • If you have plans to be around someone who is at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, you may want to take a test before you spend time with them.
    CDC: People with Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors
  • When you have been around someone who may be sick with COVID-19, test five full days after you were near them.

Find out more, FDA: At-Home COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests: Frequently Asked Questions.

Which test to take

Two types of tests can detect if you currently have a COVID-19 infection: molecular (such as PCR tests) and antigen tests. Find out which test is right for your situation, visit:

  • FDA: Covid-19 Test Basics
  • CDC: Testing for COVID-19
Tags
  • coronavirus
Last Updated: 03/27/2025

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