Doctors say a negative COVID test is not enough to know if you are truly free of virus

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Doctors say a negative test isn’t always enough to know if you’re truly COVID-free and doesn’t give you a pass.

Part of being careful is understanding the limitations of testing. When you first get exposed to the coronavirus, your levels are low and then rapidly increase over the first five days.

“Let’s say yesterday I was exposed, if I go get tested today, I won’t be positive,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of Brown University School of Public Health. “But in 2 or 3 days, I might be positive, and I will start being infectious and spreading it even before I have symptoms.”

Health officials remind everyone that the incubation period for coronavirus can be up to 14 days.