COVID Testing Specialist

What is COVID testing?

There are several ways to test for COVID-19:

Viral testing

Viral testing identifies the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, so it tells you if you are currently infected. Rapid testing gives you fast results, while lab tests can take a few days to get back to you.

Antibody testing

Antibody testing determines whether you have any antibodies for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The immune system produces these antibodies to protect you from future infection, although with COVID-19, it’s not certain how much protection they provide. 

When is it advisable to have COVID testing?

You or your child should have a COVID test if you have any symptoms, such as:

• New, continuous cough
• Fever, chills, or body aches
• Loss of taste or smell
• Shortness of breath 
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Nasal congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

COVID testing is also a good idea if you’re seeing anyone more vulnerable to infection and to make sure your or your child isn’t infected when attending work, school, or social occasions.

Why is COVID testing important?

In most people – particularly children and young adults – COVID-19 isn’t much more dangerous than the common cold. However, in a significant number of people, especially those over 50, COVID-19 can cause serious illness and long-term complications. For some, it leads to premature death.

Because COVID-19 spreads so easily, many millions of people could become infected. Although the percentage of the population at risk of serious illness is small, that still represents hundreds of thousands of potential deaths.

COVID testing identifies anyone carrying the virus, which means they can take the appropriate steps to avoid infecting anyone else, like self-isolation. Even though many people are now vaccinated against COVID-19, the protection isn’t absolute, so they could still get sick. Therefore, testing is still important to reduce the spread of the disease.

Why should my child have a COVID test?

Children aren’t immune to COVID-19, but they are often asymptomatic, meaning they don’t have any obvious signs of being sick. That means they could be passing on the infection because they don’t know they have it.

Newton Pediatrics offers COVID testing to protect you, your family, and your community. To find out more about COVID testing and take advantage of its convenience, call the nearest Newton Pediatrics office or book your test online today.