With infection rates down across the country, it’s tempting to think that the days of COVID-19 are behind us. But even though the pandemic itself may be in the rearview mirror, that doesn't mean you can’t be infected by the COVID-19 virus, even if you’ve had the virus in the past.
COVID-19 testing still plays a very important role in managing the disease and in making sure you get the most appropriate treatment as early as possible. Early treatment doesn’t just help you feel better faster — by treating the virus early, it can also reduce your risk of a serious infection that might require hospitalization.
At Triad Primary Care, our team offers COVID-19 testing for patients in and around Greensboro, North Carolina, enabling patients to get the care they need to treat their illness and prevent the disease from being spread to other people. Here’s how to tell if you need to schedule a COVID-19 test.
If you find out you were around someone who wound up being infected with COVID-19, being tested is very important for your health and for the health of those around you. The CDC advises waiting for five days after the known exposure to reduce the risk of getting a “false negative” on your test. During those five days, limit your exposure to others and wear a mask to prevent potentially spreading the infection if you wind up testing positive.
Being tested is also important if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, including:
COVID-19 symptoms can vary in intensity, so it’s important to be tested even if your symptoms are mild.
While you can “catch” COVID-19 pretty much anywhere, there are settings where the risk of transmission is higher. That includes health care facilities and other facilities that serve large groups of people. If you work or volunteer in one of these settings, being tested can help you stay healthy and prevent passing the infection to someone else.
Even though most travel restrictions have been lifted, it’s still important to be tested for COVID-19 before traveling or when returning from a trip. That’s especially true if the area you’ve visited has a high level of COVID-19 infections. Testing before travel helps ensure you won’t be sick during your trip, when you’re far from home, or when medical treatment might be difficult to find.
COVID-19 can cause very mild symptoms that can be hard to detect in the virus’ early stages of infection. Some people have very few noticeable symptoms. That means it’s really easy to infect other people without even knowing it. Being tested before attending a group event helps prevent transmission to other people.
While anyone can contract COVID-19, some people are more prone to more serious infections. That includes elderly people, very young children, and people with compromised immune systems, like people undergoing treatment for cancer or other medical issues. If you have an upcoming visit with a person at high risk of serious infection, being tested first isn’t just courteous — it could save their life.
COVID-19 infections can happen at any time or place, but during the winter months when we tend to spend more time indoors, the risk of infection is even higher. To schedule your COVID-19 test or to learn more about what you can do to prevent infection, call 336-800-8958 or book an appointment online with us at Triad Primary Care today.
