Community Antigen Testing

If you do not have symptoms, and your rapid antigen test result is negative:

You most likely do not have COVID-19 at this time. This test did not detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, when your specimen was collected.

However, you still may be an asymptomatic carrier or acquire the virus later. If you are a close contact of someone with COVID, you need to complete your quarantine. If you are not in quarantine, continue physical distancing, wearing a mask and washing your hands frequently.

If you have symptoms, and your rapid antigen test result is negative:

You may still be infected with SARS-CoV-2. Get a confirmatory test today. PCR testing is located in the Alumni Room 350 Davies. Results may take up to four days.

While waiting for these results, isolate at home, monitor symptoms and stay in touch with your doctor. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately. Isolation means that you do not go to work, school or public areas; remain in a separate room in your home and use a separate bathroom if possible; don’t share personal items; and follow all standard safety protocols.

If you do not have symptoms, and your rapid antigen test result is positive:

Get a confirmatory test today. Results may take up to four days.

While waiting for these results, isolate at home, monitor symptoms and stay in touch with your doctor. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately. Isolation means that you do not go to work, school or public areas; remain in a separate room in your home and use a separate bathroom if possible; don’t share personal items; and follow all standard safety protocols.

You have symptoms, and your rapid antigen test result is positive:

You are infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. You should isolate at home except to get medical care if your symptoms worsen.

Stay in touch with your doctor and monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately. Isolation means that you do not go to work, school or public areas; remain in a separate room in your home and use a separate bathroom if possible; don’t share personal items; and follow all standard safety protocols.

Your rapid antigen test result is indeterminate:

There was an error with your test, and we need to repeat it. Please get retested.

Home isolation is over when:

1. You have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using medicine that reduces fevers.
2. Your other symptoms have improved for at least 24 hours.
3. At least 10 days have passed since you first had symptoms.

You should still stay isolated for at least 10 days after you were tested.

You can spread COVID-19 to others beginning two days before your symptoms start until a few days after you recover. Even if you never develop any symptoms, you may be able to spread COVID-19 to others.

Notifying your own close contacts of their exposure to COVID-19 can help limit the spread in your community. Any close contact, except those who had COVID-19 within the previous 3 months and have no symptoms, should stay home and watch for symptoms for 14 days after they last had close contact with you.

First, you need to determine the time period during which you could have exposed others. If you have symptoms, you were able to spread COVID-19 starting two days before your first symptoms started.

If you have not had any symptoms, you were able to spread COVID-19 starting two days before your positive COVID-19 test was taken.

You should notify anyone with whom you had close contact while able to spread COVID-19.

Close contact is defined as any of the following interactions:

• Having direct physical contact with someone. (e.g. hug, kiss, handshake)
• Being within 6 feet of someone for 15 minutes total in a day.
• Having contact with your respiratory secretions. (e.g. coughed/sneezed on, contact with dirty tissue, sharing a drinking glass, food, towels or other personal items)
• Living with or spending the night with someone.

CDC and Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) recommend that close contacts quarantine in their home for a period of 7 to 14 days, beginning the last day they were exposed to you. This should be done regardless of whether your contact receives a negative test during their quarantine period because they could develop symptoms 2 to 14 days after being exposed.

Your contact may receive a call from Public Health who will ask your contact some questions and provide additional information. Please ask your contact to answer the phone call.

The DHS fact sheet called “Next steps: close contacts of someone with COVID-19” will provide more details for what to do to protect others.

If your contact has additional questions, they can contact their primary care provider, local health agency or visit the Wisconsin DHS COVID-19 Website dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/diagnosed.htm.

There is an online tool called “Tell Your Contacts” which allows for anonymous text or email notifications.

To send notifications from this tool:

1. Visit tellyourcontacts.org.
2. Select email or text notification.
3. Enter your contacts’ information and exposure date.
4. Select either the pre-written message or customize your own. You do not need to enter your name.
5. Send your message.