CDC guidelines on COVID-19 testing have changed: here’s what you need to know

MARYLAND – The CDC has changed its guidelines on when people should consider getting tested for COVID-19.

Under the new recommendation, if you have been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person for at least 15 minutes – you don’t necessarily need to get tested. The CDC says that if you are more vulnerable to catching COVID-19 who has been told by a healthcare provider or local health officials, you should get tested.

The Wicomico County Health Department says that before getting tested, you should self monitor for symptoms for 14 days. “They still have the 14 day quarantine period that we recommend to monitor symptoms. So sometimes if they get tested too soon they kind of get this false sense of security that no they don’t have it. But for the rest of that 14 day period they still could get symptoms,” said Nurse Program Manager of the Communicable Disease Program Olivia Butler.

Butler says that getting tested after those two weeks of monitoring and quarantine will give you a more definitive answer on if you’re positive or not. “The thing about being in contact and getting tested is sometimes a lot of people will find out they had contact and the next day go and get tested. A lot of times that test could be negative. But what that means is that they’re just negative up to that day,” said Butler.

For more information on CDC guidelines for COVID-19 testing, you can click here.