a person doing nasal swab test

When do I test post-exposure?

Question: My husband and I are vaccinated and boosted, and were recently exposed.  When should we test?

Answer: Per CDC guidelines, if you have been exposed and are either a) age 18+ and vaccinated and boosted; b) age 5-17 and vaccinated with primary series (e.g., 2 Pfizer doses), or c) if you recovered from known COVID infection within the last 90 days then:

  • Count your most recent exposure as day 0. 
  • Wear a tight fitting mask (I’d be more specific and say an N95, KN95, or KF94) when in the company of others for 10 days after exposure.
  • Get tested 5+ days after exposure (don’t rely on tests before then; if you are infected, then testing earlier will likely give a false negative).
  • If you test positive or develop symptoms, isolate yourself from others.

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