Uncategorized

YOUR QUESTIONS: Should I get tested for Covid if I’m presumed positive?

[ NOTE: Salem Reporter is providing this information free as a community service. You can support dissemination by subscribing. ]

Salem Reporter turned to various experts to find out answers to questions from readers ranging from how many people are asymptomatic to who can get tested. The Marion County Health Department, Oregon Health Authority and Salem Health all participated by responding to the community’s questions. We are featuring a question a day to share the information.

Q: Is there a value of getting tested if you have the symptoms and are presumptive positive, but not needing hospitalization? If not, what should you be doing instead (other than quarantining)?

A: If you do have symptoms of COVID-19 and have had close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, you would be considered a presumptive case if you haven’t been tested. In this situation, your health care provider could certainly consider you a good candidate for testing. That said, the recommendations for you, whether you get tested or not, would be the same: Stay home until at least 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms or your first positive test, and you have not had a fever—without use of anti-fever medications—or other symptoms for at least 24 hours. If your symptoms worsen, you should contact your health care provider right away. 

– Jonathan Modie, spokesman, Oregon Health Authority  

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? If we have an answer already, we’ll send it along. If not, we’ll see if we can find an expert to answer your question. Email your question to: [email protected].

SEE ALL THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS