COVID testing FAQ: When to test, what kind of test to use and what your results mean
Each week, we answer frequently asked questions about life during the coronavirus crisis. If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions." See an archive of our FAQs here.
In an ideal world, the U.S. would be awash in COVID tests. Anyone exposed to COVID could self-test and/or go to a lab or clinic for a test if necessary.
But right now, self-tests are in short supply in many parts of the country.
The Biden administration is pledging to distribute 500 million rapid tests "within weeks," White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said on Wednesday, but few other details have been announced.
And test manufacturers are ramping up production, so the hope is that at some point – although no one can say exactly when — you won't be seeing those "no tests available" signs at the local pharmacy or have to wait a week or more for tests ordered online.
What's more, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed its testing guidelines in the wake of the omicron surge in the U.S. — and public health researchers are critical of some of the recommendations.
The end result is a lot of
