There are currently two COVID-19 vaccines available for use in the US. Images of people receiving the vaccine can bring huge relief. It’s good—and important—to feel hope. Still, the pandemic is not over, and there are plenty of reasons you shouldn’t stop getting tested. The vaccine is currently being distributed only to high-risk people, meaning…
Ideally, you could get tested for COVID-19 at any time. During a pandemic of a virus that frequently causes no symptoms, it’s always a good idea to know your status. However, there are cases where it’s particularly important to get tested. If you are feeling sick, make sure to get a test. Fatigue, a cough,…
As cases surge, people may be wary of entering healthcare facilities, labs, or other COVID-19 testing sites. For those who feel safer staying at home, home testing is an excellent option. At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a question as to whether at-home test results were reliable, because they were not administered by…
COVID-19 cases are rising all over the United States. Last week, over 60,000 people were in hospitals with COVID-19. That is over 2,000 more people than were hospitalized with the virus on April 15th, which was the previous record. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of…
You’ve no doubt been hearing all about the importance of COVID-19 testing since March. But less has been written about how these tests are actually administered. There are a few different ways that samples are collected, though some are used more often than others. Nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs have been pretty common throughout the COVID-19…
With all the talk about different types of COVID-19 testing—rapid tests, diagnostic tests, antibody tests—it can get confusing. We’ve covered rapid tests on this blog, which seem good in theory but can be inaccurate. But what is the difference between diagnostic and antibody tests? Antibody tests determine whether you have antibodies against COVID-19. This means…
Nearly every public health expert and organization agrees that—in the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine—widespread testing is key to curtailing the pandemic. It’s crucial on the individual level of isolating people who are infected and their close contacts. But it is equally important on a national/global level; extensive testing allows experts to identify virus hotspots…
There’s been much talk about asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic COVID-19 spread. However, these terms differ. Asymptomatic refers to people who test positive for the virus but never show symptoms. Pre-symptomatic people are those who can spread COVID-19 in the time between when they catch it and start showing symptoms. It’s still unclear how much of COVID-19…
By now most of us know at least the basics of COVID-19—it spreads easily from person to person; it’s more likely to spread indoors in congregate settings. All of this can seem scary and out of our control. The good news is that there are still things we can do. Regular testing is something within our…
Since the pandemic began, we’ve been hearing the phrase “congregate settings.” While the term has always existed, it suddenly came into vogue. Why? Because congregate settings are responsible for a majority of COVID-19 spread. In short, a congregate setting is a place where a numerous people gather in close proximity. Examples include nursing homes, assisted…