CHECK your SYMPTOMS WITH CDC SELF CHECKER
If you have symptoms, a positive home test is extremely reliable!
IF YOU ARE POSITIVE ON YOUR HOME TEST:
- A positive test indicates you have the COVID-19 virus. If you do not have symptoms, you can still spread the virus to others. It is important to stay home and stay away from others.
- If your home antigen test is positive, call the COVID information line to speak to a nurse. You should consider a PCR test to be excluded for future testing or quarantine requirements. (e.g. travel requirements). The nurse will also discuss treatment options with you.
- Notify your close contacts. Phone your friends or visit https://tellyourcontacts.org/ Early notification to people who may have been exposed allows them to quarantine before they become infectious. Even before public health contacts you, begin the process by notifying your close contacts and let them know they will need to quarantine at home. A close contact means sharing air with someone for more than 15 minutes in a 24-hour period.
- Alaska COVID ENX (also known as Alaska COVID Exposure Notifications) is a free tool that works on smartphones to alert users if they may have been exposed to COVID-19 without sharing any personal information. It is completely private and doesn’t know who you are or track where you go. This link will give you instructions to add this feature on your phone.
IF YOU ARE NEGATIVE ON YOUR HOME TEST:
- A home antigen kit is not as sensitive as a PCR test. A negative test may ONLY indicate you did not have enough viral particles present to signal a positive result. If your test is negative, you are encouraged to retest with the second test device in your kit 36 – 72 hours later. If you have no symptoms and your second test is negative, continue monitoring for symptoms as the rate of infection in our community is still elevated. If you have not been directed by public health or your provider to quarantine or isolate and you are not a close contact, you may resume normal activities. Consider masking, physical distancing and hand washing as normal activities.
- Fully vaccinated and known exposure to a confirmed case, you do not need to quarantine however do monitor for any symptoms for the full 14 days after exposure. An individual is considered fully vaccinated when 2 or more weeks have passed after the receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose vaccine series, or 2 or more weeks have passed after receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine.
- If you develop symptoms at any time, even the day after any negative test, call the COVID information line. Individuals who develop symptoms compatible with COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, should be evaluated by a healthcare provider and tested as appropriate.
- If your PCR test is negative and you have respiratory symptoms, avoid work and group settings until three days after the last day of your respiratory symptoms and fever. If your symptoms worsen, call the COVID information line for an additional evaluation.
For more information about antigen testing click HERE