What Does A Negative COVID-19 Virus Test Result Mean If You Have Symptoms Of COVID-19?
COVID-19Common questionWhat does a negative COVID-19 virus test result mean if you have symptoms of COVID-19?If you test negative for the virus that causes COVID-19, the virus was not detected.• If you have symptoms of COVID-19: - You may have received a false negative test result and still might have COVID-19. You should isolate away from others. - Contact your healthcare provider about your symptoms, especially if they worsen, about follow-up testing, and how long to isolate.
Does a negative result rule out the possibility of COVID-19?
A negative result does not rule out COVID-19 and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions. A negative result does not exclude the possibility of COVID-19.
Risk of False Results with the Curative SARS-Cov-2 Test for COVID-19
What are consequences of a false negative COVID-19 test?
Risks to a patient of a false negative test result include: delayed or lack of supportive treatment, lack of monitoring of infected individuals and their household or other close contacts for symptoms resulting in increased risk of spread of COVID-19 within the community, or other unintended adverse events.
CDC 2019 Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel - Healthcare Provider Fact Sheet
What does a negative COVID-19 self-test result mean?
A negative self-test result means that the test did not detect the virus and you may not have an infection, but it does not rule out infection. Repeating the test within a few days, with at least 24 hours between tests, will increase the confidence that you are not infected.
Self-Testing
What should a symptomatic person who has received a negative COVID-19 antigen test result do?
A symptomatic person who has received a negative antigen test result and then a negative confirmatory NAAT but has had close contact with a person with COVID-19 within the last 14 days should follow CDC's guidance for quarantine, which may include retesting 5-7 days after last known exposure.
Interim Guidance for Antigen Testing for SARS-CoV-2