How long will a COVID test be positive?

A rapid antigen test detects viral proteins and is more likely to be positive when there is more virus in the nose or throat. A laboratory molecular test detects genetic material and can sometimes remain positive after the active infection has passed.

A positive result does not by itself tell you exactly when you became infectious or whether you are still infectious. A negative rapid test also does not always exclude infection, particularly early in illness or when the sample is poor.

Follow current local guidance about staying home, masking and contact with people at higher risk while you have symptoms or a positive result. Use the instructions for your specific test and avoid repeatedly testing simply to prove recovery.

If a result conflicts with your symptoms, repeat a rapid test according to its instructions or ask a clinician whether laboratory testing is useful. Tell a healthcare professional about immune problems, pregnancy, or other factors that may alter your risk.

Seek urgent help for severe breathing difficulty, chest pressure, fainting, new confusion, or blue-grey lips or face. Obtain prompt advice if symptoms are worsening, you cannot maintain fluids, or you are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 and became unwell recently.

Arrange a review when a positive result is accompanied by persistent disabling fatigue, concentration difficulty, altered smell or taste, or other symptoms that are not gradually improving.

Ask which test you used, what its result means at this point in your illness, and when you can safely resume usual activities. Share the date of symptom onset, test dates and results, and any exposure or medical risk factors.