COVID-19 Testing

Even if:

• You have had COVID-19 before. If you have had COVID-19 in the prior three months, you are far less likely to become infected, but it is possible.
• You are fully vaccinated. If you have been fully vaccinated you are less likely to become infected, but it is possible.

If you leave your home to get a test, wear a mask and stay 6 feet away from other people.

• Get tested five days after the last time you were close to a person with COVID-19.
• If you start to have any symptoms, get tested immediately.
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past three months you should still get tested five days after close contact with a person with COVID-19 even if you don't feel sick. Get tested immediately if you start to have any symptoms.

Visit Close Contacts and Quarantine for more information about what to do if you have had close contact with someone with COVID-19, including quarantine.

You should also follow Recommendations for Wearing Masks.

Travel within the United States

• CDC recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated, CDC recommends getting tested one to three days prior to domestic travel, and three to five days after returning home.
• Visit CDC: Domestic Travel During COVID-19 for more information on travel, including prevention guidance and when to quarantine.

International travel

• Everyone boarding a flight to the United States must have a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of the flight or documentation of COVID-19 in the prior three months.
• Some international locations may require vaccinated people to test. Check the requirements of your travel destination.
• Visit CDC: International Travel for more information vaccination and testing requirements.

An example of a high-risk event is a large gathering or event where people are not wearing masks and are not able to stay 6 feet apart.

• Whether or not you are fully vaccinated, you should get tested five days after the high-risk event, especially if you may have come in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
• If you develop any symptoms, get tested right away.

This includes, but is not limited to, first responders, health care workers, child care providers, teachers, coaches, and retail staff.

• Even if you do not have symptoms or you have not had close contact to someone known to have COVID-19, you should still get tested every two weeks (or based on your employer's guidance) if you are not fully vaccinated. People without symptoms can still spread COVID-19 to others.
• All K-12 school educators and school staff who are not fully vaccinated and whose schools have returned to an in-person learning model should get tested regularly according to CDC guidance. Check to see if you are eligible to participate in testing during your school's testing program.
• If ongoing health screening is a part of your job, ask your employer about how often you need to be tested for COVID-19.

• Infants and children under the age of five should get tested as soon as possible if they have symptoms, are exposed to someone with COVID-19, or are told to get tested by a health care provider.
• School-age kids who are not fully vaccinated and participate in in-person learning, activities, or sports should get tested regularly according to CDC: Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools.
  • CDC recommends schools in areas of moderate, substantial, or high transmission implement weekly testing for students. In areas of substantial transmission, twice-weekly testing is recommended for students involved in high-risk sports and activities. In areas of high transmission, CDC recommends schools cancel high-risk sports and activities.
    • Refer to the map on CDC COVID Data Tracker: COVID-19 Integrated County View to find community transmission levels in your county.
  • Schools in areas of low transmission do not need to test students regularly. However, unvaccinated students involved in high-risk sports and activities should still get tested once a week.
  • Please check with your school district to see if they have testing requirements or if they are offering a school-based testing program.
• College and trade-school students who are not fully vaccinated should get tested if they return to campus for classes.

These people may not respond as well to COVID-19 vaccines. They may be advised by their health care provider to test at certain intervals or after certain exposures.

Follow testing requests from health care providers or public health workers. Specific recommendations may be provided for cases and contacts associated with outbreaks or clusters.