1Life Healthcare : Your Guide to Lab Tests

COVID-19 Viral PCR Test (also known as NAA or NAAT)

These tests detect the presence of genetic material from the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself, and are used to diagnose an active case of COVID-19. It may sometimes be reported as "SARS-CoV-2, NAA."

"Detected" or "positive" result means SARS-CoV-2 genetic material was present.

If you were tested through a program affiliated with your employer, school, or other organization, please continue to follow any isolation guidance communicated by your team as some areas are continuing to follow the CDC's previous guidance of 10 days of isolation. Please also continue to follow any local, state or tribal guidance that is different from the CDC guidance below.

If this is your result, and if you have had symptoms, we recommend you continue self-isolation and stay home until the following three things have happened:

• You have had no fever (temperature stays less than 100.4 F) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication

AND

• Other symptoms have improved (for example, cough or shortness of breath have improved)

AND

• At least five days have passed since your symptoms first appeared or you first tested positive

This should be followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others.

Also, please reach out to your medical provider immediately if you experience severe symptoms, including:

• Worrisome shortness of breath
• Mental confusion
• Chest pain or pressure that persists (not just with coughing)
• Palpitations or irregular heartbeat
• Fainting or almost fainting

We encourage you to check with your local department of health before discontinuing isolation to make sure our guidance aligns with your local regulations.

If you have not had symptoms, we recommend you:

• Continue self-isolation and stay home for five days from the day you were tested. This should be followed by five days of wearing a mask when around others. If you develop symptoms within that time, please self-isolate using the instructions above.

"Not Detected" or "negative" result means no SARS-CoV-2 genetic material was detected.

If this is your result, it means you likely do not have COVID-19, however we strongly recommend continuing to care for yourself, using masks, and practicing social distancing and handwashing. This test can sometimes miss SARS-CoV-2, especially if you haven't had symptoms, or if you had symptoms but they started more than seven days before the date of your test.

If you haven't had any symptoms, but had an exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, the safest way to quarantine is to stay home and avoid contact with others for five days, followed by five days of strict mask usage. You should try to get tested on day five, if possible.

Alternatively, if a five-day quarantine is not possible, an exposed person should wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. If you do develop symptoms, you should immediately isolate yourself and contact your healthcare provider.

If you are fully vaccinated, including a booster, or you completed your two-shot vaccination series with Moderna or Pfizer within the last six months or J&J vaccine within the last two months, you do not need to quarantine if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19. You should, however, wear a mask when indoors around others for 10 days following your exposure, and if possible, be tested five days after the exposure. Be sure to monitor for symptoms and isolate as below if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19.If you did not have an exposure, we recommend continuing to monitor your health and practice COVID-19 prevention.

If you are or have been symptomatic, we recommend you continue self-isolation and stay home until the following three things have happened:

• You have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication

AND

• Other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved)

AND

• At least five days have passed since your symptoms first appeared or you first tested positive

We understand that keeping up with the seemingly endless coronavirus news can feel overwhelming, so we have created a library of COVID-19 reference materials that are updated daily with the latest on what you need to know and what precautions can be taken to stay healthy.

COVID-19 Viral Antigen Testing

If you were tested through a program affiliated with your employer, school, or other organization, please continue to follow any isolation guidance communicated by your team as some areas are continuing to follow the CDC's previous guidance of 10 days of isolation. Please also continue to follow any local, state or tribal guidance that is different from the CDC guidance below.

If this is your result, and you have had symptoms, we recommend you continue self-isolation and stay home until the following three things have happened:

• You have had no fever (temperature stays less than 100.4 F) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication

AND

• Other symptoms have improved (for example, cough or shortness of breath have improved) AND
• At least five days have passed since your symptoms first appeared or you first tested positive

This should be followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others.

Also, please reach out to your medical provider immediately if you experience severe symptoms, including:

• Worrisome shortness of breath
• Mental confusion
• Chest pain or pressure that persists (not just with coughing)
• Palpitations or irregular heartbeat
• Fainting or almost fainting

We encourage you to check with your local department of health before discontinuing isolation to make sure our guidance aligns with your local regulations.

If you have not had symptoms, a follow-up PCR test is recommended. If your antigen test was performed at One Medical, we will have automatically ordered the follow-up PCR on your behalf.

• If the PCR test is positive, please follow the self-isolation guidelines above.
• If your PCR test is negative, but you had an exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, we advise you to follow your local guidelines for quarantine. If you did not have an exposure, we recommend continuing to monitor your health and practice COVID-19 prevention.

"Not Detected" or "negative" result means no SARS-CoV-2 material was detected.

If this is your result and you've had symptoms, a follow-up PCR test is recommended. If your antigen test was performed at One Medical, we will have automatically ordered the follow-up PCR on your behalf.

• If the PCR test is positive, please follow the self-isolation guidelines above.
• If your PCR test is negative, but you had an exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, we advise you to follow your local guidelines for quarantine. If you did not have an exposure, we recommend continuing to monitor your health and practice COVID-19 prevention.

If you haven't had any symptoms, but had an exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, the safest way to quarantine is to stay home and avoid contact with others for five days, followed by five days of strict mask usage. Alternatively, if a five-day quarantine is not possible, an exposed person should wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. If you do develop symptoms, you should immediately isolate yourself and contact your healthcare provider.

If you are fully vaccinated, including a booster, or you completed your two-shot vaccination series with Moderna or Pfizer within the last six months or J&J vaccine within the last two months, you do not need to quarantine if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19. You should, however, wear a mask when indoors around others for 10 days following your exposure, and if possible, be tested five days after the exposure. Be sure to monitor for symptoms and isolate as below if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19.

We understand that keeping up with the seemingly endless coronavirus news can feel overwhelming, so we have created a library of COVID-19 reference materials that are updated daily with the latest on what you need to know and what precautions can be taken to stay healthy.

COVID-19 IgG Antibody Testing

This test identifies a type of antibody present in your system and can indicate that you have mounted an immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (coronavirus) infection.

If your test for COVID-19 antibodies is positive:

This result indicates that you've likely been infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the recent past, and produced an immune response to the virus. Having antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19 may provide protection from getting infected with the virus again. But even if it does, we do not know how much protection the antibodies may provide or how long this protection may last. Confirmed and suspected cases of reinfection have been reported, but remain rare. You should continue taking all the standard precautions to avoid exposure and avoid exposing others.

If your test for COVID-19 IgG antibodies is negative:

This result indicates that no antibodies to the virus were detected, and you may not have ever had COVID-19. This result can also happen for a number of other reasons, including:

• You were tested too early after infection. It typically takes from one to three weeks before your body had a chance to produce antibodies. In some people it may take even longer to produce antibodies, and some people may never produce them
• You were tested too late after infection (more than six weeks after infection), after antibody levels have declined below the limit of detection
• Your result is a "false negative" and you have had COVID-19

After a negative test, you should consider yourself vulnerable to infection, and you should continue to practice all the standard precautions to avoid exposure to the virus, including wearing a mask when outside the home, maintaining a safe physical distance from others, avoiding crowded indoor settings, and washing your hands frequently.

We understand that keeping up with the seemingly endless coronavirus news can feel overwhelming, so we have created a library of COVID-19 reference materials that are updated daily with the latest on what you need to know and what precautions you can take to stay healthy.