COVID-19 Test Basics
My HealtheVet and COVID-19 testing results
COVID-19 test results from any lab test ordered by a VA health care team will appear in your My HealtheVet account. Sign in to your account and follow these steps to access your COVID-19 test results:
- Select Labs + Tests on the home page
- Select View More under VA Chemistry/Hematology
- Review the summary list ‘by date’ for COVID-19 test results performed at your VA facility
To view your test results, you must have a Premium account. If you do not yet have a Premium account, there are steps you can take, or you can contact your local medical center.
COVID-19 cases are surging across the country. More people than ever are getting tested. Do you know about the different tests available? To better understand how these tests work and their main differences, we’ve listed some of the COVID-19 test basics, with help from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Molecular test
This diagnostic test is highly accurate and often referred to as an RT-PCR test. You might take one if you or your doctor think you have COVID-19. It is considered the most accurate type of test. A health care provider will collect mucus from your nose or throat using a specialized swab in most cases. Depending on your testing location, results may take up to a week.
Antigen test
Antigen tests work like molecular testing but much faster. They’re less expensive and often called a ‘rapid test.’ Your health worker will swab the back of your nose or throat to collect a sample. However, if you have symptoms but test negative, your doctor may have you take a molecular test to rule out a false negative. Results may be available within 15 - 30 minutes.
Antibody test
Molecular and antibody tests do not diagnose an active infection. Only an antibody test can determine past exposure. Antibody tests do not, however, reveal active infection. The test can take a couple of days to process and is done by a blood test. It will tell you if you’ve ever been infected. Antibodies don’t become detectable until several days after an infection has started, so an antibody test can be falsely negative soon after you develop symptoms. Results may be available within 1 - 3 days.
VA and COVID-19 test results
VA medical centers use all three types of tests. To get a test, you must have an appointment. You can request an appointment in any of these ways:
The next time you talk to your doctor either in person or by video, make sure you ask questions about COVID-19 testing.
Read More
Coronavirus Disease 2019 Testing Basics (FDA)
Get Your COVID-19 Test Results Online from My HealtheVet
Who Should Get Tested? (CDC)
View on website
|
