It is advisable to check for the virus in your body if you have a dry cough, fatigue, headache, fever, or loss of smell. It is also necessary to do a test if you find out that you recently spent time with an infected person. Go to quarantine and get tested immediately.

Testing is best done five to six days after potential infection. You can also do the test as a precautionary measure.

There are several types of coronavirus tests: molecular tests, which look for the genetic material of the virus, and antigen tests, which look for viral proteins.

All tests use a sample taken from the nose, throat, or mouth.

A laboratory molecular test is a most readily available test, a polymerase chain reaction test that looks for parts of the genetic material of a virus. It is able to detect even a very small amount of viral material, but it may take 10 or more days to get the result. PCR can give a false negative result during the first few days of infection, and the test can also give a positive result several weeks after infection. Molecular tests are quite expensive.

A rapid antigen test identifies the constituents of the coronavirus protein. If viral antigens are found in the sample, one of the lines on the paper test strip turns dark. These tests are cheaper than molecular tests and provide results in 10-15 minutes. These tests are best done several times during the week. A rapid test can also give a false negative result during the first days of infection.

The Rapid Molecular Test allows you to quickly conduct molecular testing. These tests are quick and highly sensitive, but are not as accurate as laboratory tests and take longer to produce a result than antigen tests. Like other tests, rapid molecular tests can give a false-negative result.

For many tests, the sample is taken through the nose. The most reliable sampling method is the nasopharyngeal swab. To do this, a flexible stick with an absorbent substance is inserted into the nasal cavity until it reaches the throat. It is more convenient to take a swab from the nostril. To do this, you must use a tampon. Also, a smear is often taken through the mouth, from the back of the pharynx. In addition, saliva samples may be taken, which the patient must collect in a test tube.

There are home tests that are approved by the FDA. Among them, for example, tests produced by North American Diagnostics and Lepu Medical. Simple Home Testing Kits allow you to do daily tests before going to the office, shop, restaurant, school, any public place. A rapid test done at home can detect an infection before overt symptoms appear.

You can get tested to detect antibodies in your blood. The test will show if you have been infected in the past, but this test cannot be used to diagnose a current infection. The presence of antibodies indicates some level of protection but does not guarantee the absence of the possibility of reinfection. It can take one to three weeks for the body to develop antibodies. The waiting time for the result varies from several days to two weeks. Both false positive and false negative results are possible.

Most tests give a result in 10-15 minutes.