If you have any symptoms, but test negative, can you still have Covid-19?

Indications for Covid at the Preliminary When You’re Out of a Vaccination Driven State and Before a Functioning Event

It’s unlikely that you will have the virus if you go to a packed bar on a Friday night and don’t have symptoms by Monday. If you still don’t have symptoms by Wednesday, you’re probably in the clear, he said, although you should take a test to confirm.

However, it is still possible to have an asymptomatic case of Covid — and as more people build up immunity to the virus through vaccination and prior infection, asymptomatic, or very mild, cases will be more common, said Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and senior fellow and editor at large for public health at Kaiser Health News. If you don’t have symptoms, she said, it’s important to test before meeting with a vulnerable person.

If you do feel sick, stay home — even if you’re negative on a rapid test. The tests aren’t perfect, so anyone who is not feeling well should stay home.

Experts differ on the exact timing and combination of tests you should take, but for the most accurate measure of whether or not you’re contagious before an event, take an at-home rapid test right before. Stuart Ray said that you could have a little testing party outside and everyone would be positive and able to go in and see their mom. You should also take a rapid test the day before, he advised.

When Did the Covid-19 Pandemic Begin? Dr. Leana Wein, MD, CNN Medical Analyst, and a Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health

It has been over three years since Covid-19 cases were first diagnosed in the United States. And while President Joe Biden announced last week that he intends to end the state of national emergency around Covid-19, this does not mean the pandemic is over.

Although much is now known about this coronavirus, many questions remain, especially as the virus continues to evolve and infect people on a large scale. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, there were more than 280,000 new coronaviruses diagnosed in the last week. This is almost certainly an undercount due to the many home tests not included in the official tally.

If it comes back positive, that’s when you had Covid-19. It does not tell you when. So if you want to find out if a particular bout of recent symptoms was from the coronavirus, this test wouldn’t help. And remember, having had Covid-19 in the past doesn’t mean that you can’t get sick from it again.

To help us with these questions, I spoke with CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is also the author of “Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health.”

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/08/health/coronavirus-test-omicron-vaccine-wen-wellness/index.html

Covid-19: What can you do about it? Dr. Leana Wen: When should you take a quick test before going out to a nursing home?

Dr. Leana Wen: There are several possibilities. First, Covid-19 often presents like other viral illnesses. There are a lot of symptoms such as a sore throat, a bad cough, headaches and even a stomach bug. These are types of symptoms also seen with other viral illnesses, including influenza and adenovirus. It’s possible you may have symptoms you’re identifying as evidence of a Covid-19 infection that are actually due to another virus.

The CDC says that if you were exposed, you should wait until at least five days after the exposure to get a test. There are at least two options available at this point that could be used. The CDC recommends you wear a mask for a total of 10 days when in public indoor places because it is possible to develop symptoms after five days. You should also monitor your symptoms; if you develop any, even after five days following a potential exposure, you should get tested again.

Taking a rapid test the next day is what I would recommend. Your load may not have been high enough the first time. (This is also the guidance suggested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.)

If the tests are negative, you can still wear a public mask until 10 days after your exposure because of the chance that you have a different viral illness. Also, be careful around vulnerable individuals while you are symptomatic, even if it’s not from Covid-19. If you have a trip to a nursing home planned to visit your elderly aunt, for example, or you’re planning to host dinner with an immunocompromised guest, you should postpone until your symptoms are gone and your 10-day quarantine period has completed.

Wen: It depends. If you are a healthy person with no symptoms, testing isn’t necessary. You should use symptomatic management, meaning to drink lots of fluids, rest and take over-the-counter analgesics like acetaminophen or ibuprofen as needed.

If you have underlying medical conditions, you might be particularly concerned about influenza. There are antiviral treatments available, and you should consider speaking with your doctor about flu testing and if you are eligible for them.

Wen: There is an antibody blood test to the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid available from commercial laboratories like Quest Diagnostics and Labcorp. This looks for something prior to the event.