What you need to know when it comes to COVID-19 testing

Name: What you need to know about COVID-19 testing
Uploaded: 2020-11-12T22:52:36-05:00
Description: FOX 29 Reporter Chris O'Connell has more.

What you need to know about COVID-19 testing

FOX 29 Reporter Chris O'Connell has more.

MEDIA, Pa. - With the surge in COVID-19 cases right now people may have questions about COVID-19 testing. Do you know when you should tested, where, or even how?

Penn Medicine Dr. Mike Cirigliano is not surprised COVID testing sites have been packed.

“Maybe they had close exposure. Maybe they had symptoms that are not COVID. I am a big believer that testing is critical," he said.

So who should get tested? According to the CDC, people who have symptoms and those who have been six feet of someone with a confirmed case.

Many pharmacies are now offering drive-thru testing with an online appointment.

“We’ve been testing since the pandemic started. We’ve tested over 100,000 patients," Dr. Mike said.

Dan Savadove owns two AFC urgent cares in Aston and Havertown where testing is done curbside. There are two types of diagnostic tests. The PCR test is considered the gold standard, but the results could take days. There's also the less accurate Rapid Antigen where results come back in 15 minutes.

“If you need the results right now for travel reasons or just because you want to know. It's obviously nice to know immediately then you should get the rapid test and you should get the molecular test," Savadove said.

Since some tests have a four-day lag period between exposure. Dr. Mike says a negative result isn't a free pass for grandma's house.