Results

Some facilities have rapid tests for COVID-19 diagnostic testing. In that case, you may get your results in less than an hour or on the same day that you're tested. Other facilities may have to send the test sample to an outside lab for analysis. If they need to send out the sample, your results may not be available until a few days later.

Your COVID-19 diagnostic test result could be positive or negative.

• Positive result. This means you currently have an active infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. Take appropriate steps to care for yourself and avoid spreading the virus to others. You'll need to self-isolate until: Your symptoms are improving, and it's been 24 hours since you've had a fever, and at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

  If you have severe symptoms of COVID-19 or a health condition that lowers your ability to fight disease, your doctor may recommend that you stay in isolation longer. If you have a positive result but never developed symptoms, isolate for 10 days after the test.

• Negative result. This means that you likely weren't infected with the COVID-19 virus. But a false-negative test result could happen depending on the timing and quality of the test sample.

  Even if you test negative, you could become infected in the future, so it's important to follow guidelines for social distancing, face mask use and hand-washing to avoid potential spread. Your doctor may recommend repeat testing if you continue to have symptoms.

Contact tracing

If you test positive for the COVID-19 virus — or your doctor suspects that you have the virus but you don't have test results yet — you may be asked to participate in contact tracing. Contact tracing plays a key role in limiting the spread of infectious diseases. The sooner contact tracing starts, the more effective it is in limiting virus spread.

To begin, you provide a list of people you had close contact with during the time you may have been contagious. Public health workers then get in touch with those close contacts to let them know about the exposure and their potential for being infected. Your identity is protected during this exchange of information.

The contact tracing team provides information on what close contacts can do to minimize the risk of spreading the virus. Steps may include getting a COVID-19 test, staying at home and away from others — called quarantine — after the exposure, learning about signs and symptoms, and taking other precautions.

Quarantine recommendations

If you've had close contact with someone who has COVID-19 and have been within 6 feet (2 meters) of the person, it's best to stay at home and away from others (quarantine) for 14 days after the exposure to see if you develop COVID-19 symptoms. If you have had COVID-19 or been fully vaccinated in the past three months, you generally don't need to quarantine if you have had a close contact with COVID-19.

Other options may include ending quarantine after 10 days if you don't have symptoms and don't get tested or ending quarantine after 7 days if you receive a negative test result and have no symptoms. But continue to watch for symptoms for the full 14 days.

Contact your doctor or local health department for advice on testing and quarantine recommendations.