Unfortunately, LA county finds itself amid a spike in its number of Covid-19 cases. As of the time of this article, its hospitals saw an 89% increase in their number of patients positive for Covid-19 over the last two week of November. Nearly 7,800 patients were hospitalized on November 30 alone, a figure which, according to health officials, suggests that Covid cases will continue to rise into December. Of those who test positive for Covid-19, roughly 12% will require some form of hospitalization, saturating an already stressed medical care system with additional casualties from the pandemic. This makes any attempt at mitigating the spread of Covid-19 absolutely essential.
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Testing is one of the best ways to help minimize the spread of the virus. Here are 3 reasons that you should get tested for Covid-19 at home instead of at a testing center or clinic.
- In-home Covid-19 tests can reduce possible exposure to the virus
Social distancing and self-quarantine are among the most effective ways to reduce exposure to Covid-19. Any measures that can be taken to avoid exposure is a way to avoid contracting the virus. The ability to remain in your home while getting tested is another way to reduce the risk of exposure.Â
Furthermore, getting tested for Covid is invaluable information in making decisions relevant to mitigating the spread of the virus. In-home testing is one way to obtain such information.
There are measures in place such as the use of PPE including Disposable Isolation Gowns when you use test centers. But distancing and staying at home are, as we know, the most effective ways of stopping the spread of the virus.
- In-home testing allows for convenient scheduling
Wait times at testing centers can be variable, and it’s impossible to predict with certainty for how long they might be. In-home testing is scheduled well in advance to avoid any uncertainty, so there is no wait time for an appointment either at a clinic or at a testing center, where motorists were reported to wait for hours in multi-hundred car lines just last week.
Convenience is particularly valuable for those who have the additional schedule demands of working from home and childcare.
- Private services offer flexibility in their testing materials.Â
There are two different tests available to detect an active case of Covid-19: the rapid antigen and the PCR.Â
Private, in-home medical services guarantee access to whichever you deem most appropriate. This is in contrast to DIY kits, which are convenient but limited as the PCR test is the only type available for home use at this time. Additionally, not all community testing sites offer both types of tests.
Which test should I get?
Both are effective ways to test for the virus. The PCR will look for genetic traces of Covid saliva taken from a swab of your nasal passages; this test will generally take 1 to 2 days to return results. The rapid antigen tests will indeed work more quickly than the PCR (in less than 30 minutes); it does have a very small chance of resulting in a false positive, whereas the PCR is considered by the CDC to be the “gold standard†and most efficacious test for Covid-19. Â
What’s the safest way to get tested for Covid-19?
With the risk of contracting Covid-19 so high, many Angelinos are wondering how they can get tested safely. There are many testing centers available throughout Los Angeles County, which can be found through their website.
The far safer way of obtaining a Covid-19 test is through in-home medical care services such as Concierge MD LA Covid testing at-home. Their services will send a medical care professional, test in hand, right to your door for the safest, most convenient way to learn if you have Covid-19 available.
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