In the U. S. , the fall months generally bring much more than cooler temperatures, colorful leaves, and soccer games. It’s also the start of respiratory virus season, which means millions of other people will get a nasty bleed or flu. Influenza, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus have the potential to cause severe illness, early symptoms are mild and indistinguishable and may include cough, sore throat, runny nose, and body aches.
Overlapping symptoms and potential differences in treatment make diagnosis important. So, when should a check be done, and what types of controls should you use?
In the three-and-a-half years since the start of the pandemic, almost everyone has taken a Covid-19 test at home. Most of these are antigen tests, but several at-home molecular tests (e. g. , PCR) are now available. Controls offer a convenient way to detect an infection, but they are not foolproof. Here are 3 conditions where you deserve to get checked at home:
If you start to develop symptoms, such as cough, sore throat, runny nose, or body aches, it’s a good idea to get a Covid-19 antigen test or molecular test at home. But when you get tested, you can play a critical role in determining the accuracy of your result. It is possible to get tested as soon as you experience symptoms, but if the result is negative, interpret it with caution. As the majority of the population has already been vaccinated and/or pre-existing immunity infected, it can prevent the virus from reaching its peak levels in the respiratory tract. A recent study found that immediate tests have the highest sensitivity, i. e. , the highest chance of being positive, on the fourth day later. the onset of symptoms. So, if your check is negative on the first day, doing some other check 3 or 4 days later is a smart concept before ruling out Covid-19.
You were in your friend’s space watching Monday night’s football game, and after noticing other people coughing and sneezing all night, your friend calls you the next day to let you know they tested positive for Covid-19. You were vaccinated and had Covid-19 a year ago, so do you get tested?
In most situations, the answer is yes. But getting tested at home the day after exposure will yield at most a negative result. So wait five to seven days after you’ve been exposed and wear a mask during this time when you’re out in public. If your symptoms are widespread, follow the recommendations summarized above.
Although hospitalization and death rates from Covid-19 are low lately, devastating consequences would still be imaginable if other people were to become infected, including the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. So if you’re making a stopover to eat a grandparent or friend with cancer during the holiday season, getting checked at home right before your layover will help lessen the threat of the virus unknowingly spreading.
If you have a respiratory illness and your home Covid-19 tests are negative, you deserve to be tested for flu and RSV. This is especially important if you have a fever, have severe symptoms, or are a high-risk user (i. e. , <2 years old, elderly, or immunocompromised). Unfortunately, at-home antigen tests for flu and RSV are not available in the U. S. Earlier this year, the FDA legalized the first over-the-counter molecular test for Covid-19. 19 and flu.
However, in most cases, you’ll want to see your doctor so you can send a swab to a lab for a PCR test. Many laboratory PCR tests detect flu and RSV in the same test and, in some cases, Covid-19. 19 as well. It’s vital to get tested for these viruses, as the remedy will likely vary depending on the virus causing the infection.
If the effects of Covid-19, flu, and RSV tests are negative, it is important that other viruses can cause a cold-like illness. These come with rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, and human metapneumovirus. So as we head into the fall and winter months, the most productive steps you can take to stay healthy are washing your hands, wearing a mask in public, and getting vaccinated against the flu, RSV (if eligible), and Covid-19. And, as always, stay home if you’re sick.