Should you get a COVID-19 test before the holidays? Here’s what we found.

Before Thanksgiving, Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order with new COVID-19 safety guidelines, particularly as it pertains to wearing masks and face coverings as well as reducing the size of indoor gatherings.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called on people to avoid traveling and having large gatherings for the holiday.

Cooper’s Phase 3 executive order is set to expire Dec. 11, and similar holiday guidance is expected to be issued ahead of Christmas.

As families across the state consider gathering later this month and how to do so safely, Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, urges people to continue wearing a mask, follow social distancing guidelines and washing their hands.

“You need to take precautions as if everyone around you has it,” she said Thursday.

And while getting a negative coronavirus test isn’t a guarantee, it’s a tool that people are using before gathering with loved ones.

But should you get tested before gathering with people this holiday? We have answers to your most common questions, including where you can find a testing site, how much it could cost and how long it will take to get your results.

Where can I get tested?

There are many places to get tested, as the state strives to make testing more accessible. Some CVS, Walgreens and grocery stores have adapted to provide tests. The DHHS has a test site finder where you can enter your ZIP code to find testing sites near you, including important details such as if you need to schedule an appointment to get tested or a doctor must refer you in order to get a test. It will also give you the site’s contact information.

Some organizations plan free community testing events that run various days at specific locations — often schools, churches or mobile testing sites — with flexible schedules. You can find a list of these free test sites on the DHHS site at ncdhhs.gov/testingplace with details and a direct link to the event’s website.

DHHS recommends talking with your healthcare provider to facilitate tests that could be covered under your current insurance.

When should I get tested?

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that people showing COVID-19 symptoms should get a test immediately. But the absence of these symptoms doesn’t mean a person doesn’t have the virus. Those who have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive should also seek testing, regardless of symptoms.

People who have attended protests, rallies and other mass gatherings could have been exposed to the virus and should get tested. Members of high-risk demographics, such as residents of 65 years of age and older and those who have preexisting conditions, should get tested if they believe they’ve been exposed.

You can check if your symptoms match those caused by COVID-19 in the DHHS website, which might recommend that you get a test and show you nearby testing sites. The site is also available in Spanish.

But Dr. Pia MacDonald said not to rely solely on coronavirus tests to decide whether you should gather with friends and members of your family who are outside your household.

“Just because you get tested and test negative does not mean you should gather,” said MacDonald, a global health expert on epidemics at RTI, an independent research institute in Research Triangle Park.

MacDonald reiterated state guidelines that recommend against gathering with people that you don’t live with, but if you do, you should wear a mask, meet outside and not share food or beverages.

How long do results take? Could they be outdated by the time I receive them?

DHHS estimates that, as of Dec. 3, it’s an average of almost three days.

The turnaround time of your COVID-19 test results varies depending on where you get tested and how long it takes for the sample to arrive at the laboratory for analysis.

After a test is conducted, DHHS estimates that it takes an average of a day and a half for the laboratory to analyze it and report a result. Then, there is a day’s delay from when the laboratory result is reported to when it’s electronically submitted to the department.

Several laboratories are reporting different turnaround times: Mako Medical and LabCorp have said it takes them between 24 and 48 hours to report results, while Quest Diagnostics reports slightly over two days, CBS 17 reported.

In other words, if you’re planning on getting a test before the holidays, don’t wait until the last minute to do so. Account for at least a few days between test and getting your result, if you’re trying to time your test to a possible holiday visit. Like you, there will be an increases in people getting tested.

Do I need to show symptoms to get a test?

The DHHS specifies people should get tested if they’ve been exposed or they think they’ve been in contact with somebody who has the virus. While there is no official guidance for those who want to get tested as a precautionary measure, Cohen said before Thanksgiving that people can cite local health officials as a reason for getting tested.

Many testing sites require an appointment and a previous doctor screening to determine if the patient should get a test.

The state health department recommends isolating after getting tested if you suspect you contracted the virus or show symptoms. The rest of your household should remain inside the home as much as possible as well. But if you got tested as part of a regular screening and have no suspicions you have the virus, there is no need to quarantine.

Does it matter what test I get?

There are two types of tests, which will tell you if you have an active coronavirus infection: a molecular viral test, also known as PCR, and a rapid antigen test. The PCR test is the most reliable, according to Macdonald. However, PCR results can take longer to yield. This is the most common test for people getting a test for a job or school mandatory screening.

The rapid antigen test, as its name indicates, has results as fast as 15 minutes from when the sample is taken. This is the most common test that people showing coronavirus symptoms get.

But, the antigen test often yields false negative results, MacDonald said. The test looks for a determined number of antigens present in the system, but this number varies per person. People who may have contracted the virus could show fewer antigens and test negative, which is why your provider might make you get a PCR test after the rapid antigen to confirm a negative result.

“Even that day that you got the test, if it was an antigen test, you could just have not enough of the viral antigens to test positive, but you could still be infected with the virus and infectious to others,” MacDonald said.

Do I have to pay to get tested?

In most cases you won’t have to pay for a coronavirus test, regardless if it’s an antigen or molecular test. Some insurances, like Blue Shield Blue Cross, said earlier this year they would cover the cost of the test, while others have fully waived the co-pay for testing.

In September, Gov. Roy Cooper launched a program which would cover, with federal funding, the full cost of tests for uninsured North Carolinians that meet the requirements: have U.S. citizenship or other legal immigration status, live in North Carolina and not be eligible or enrolled in Medicaid or other insurance.

Commercial testing sites, like CVS, Walgreens and Harris Teeter, also offer free testing aimed for residents who don’t have insurance.

This story was originally published December 5, 2020 at 9:30 AM with the headline "Should you get a COVID-19 test before the holidays? Here’s what we found.."