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COVID-19 Self-testing
Tests that Give Results at Home
The Centers for Disease Control has updated its Respiratory Virus Guidance, which includes guidance for COVID-19. MDH is working to review the CDC guidance and update our website as appropriate.
On this page:
Tips for doing COVID-19 self-tests
Accuracy of self-testing products
If your test is positive
If your test is negative
Reporting self-testing results
More information
Minnesotans have many COVID-19 testing options. One of those options is a self-test, which may also be called a home test or over-the-counter (OTC) test.
You can do a self-test anywhere, including at home. Vaccination status does not affect test results. If your test is positive, you should follow recommendations for how long to stay home and when to wear a mask. Learn more at If You Are Sick or Test Positive.
If you are at high risk for serious COVID-19 illness, contact your health care provider right away if you test positive to see if you should receive treatment (medication). Treatment should be started within five to seven days from the start of symptoms, even if symptoms are mild. For more information on treatment after a positive COVID-19 test, visit If your test is positive below. Refer to CDC: People with Certain Medical Conditions for factors that may put someone at high risk.
Tips for doing COVID-19 self-tests
Follow manufacturer instructions exactly to get an accurate result. The manufacturer instructions will give you information like the type of sample to collect, how to collect it, step-by-step instructions on how to test the sample, and how to read the results. Refer to CDC: Self-Testing At Home or Anywhere for additional information on self-tests.
Most self-tests are antigen tests. Positive results from antigen tests are very accurate and reliable. However, a single negative antigen test cannot rule out infection. The FDA and CDC recommend repeat testing if your first antigen test is negative.
- If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and you get a negative result, you should repeat the test in 48 hours to confirm the result.
- If you do not have symptoms of COVID-19 but were in close contact with someone with COVID-19 and you get a negative result, you should repeat the test two more times, 48 hours apart each time, to confirm the negative result.
- To learn more about the difference between antigen and molecular tests, including PCR tests, visit Types of COVID-19 Tests. For the CDC and FDA recommendations on repeat testing after a negative antigen test, refer to CDC: COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know.
Use self-tests that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized. Tests authorized for self-testing listed at the links below say "home" in the table column called "authorized setting(s)."
- FDA: In Vitro Diagnostics EUAs - Antigen Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2
- FDA: In Vitro Diagnostics EUAs - Molecular Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2
Consider keeping self-test kits on hand in case you need to get tested.
- Go to COVID-19 Testing for information about who should get tested and when.
- Self-tests can be bought at your local pharmacy or at other retail stores.
- If you have health insurance, you may be able to get free tests or get reimbursed for costs of purchasing tests. Ask your local pharmacy or health insurance company for more information.
- People who do not have health insurance can find no-cost tests using the CDC's COVID-19 Testing Locator.
Check the expiration dates and do not use tests that are expired.
- Note: Expiration dates on some tests have been extended, so you may be able to use them for longer than it says on the box.
- Visit the FDA Authorized At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests webpage for the brand of test you have to see if the expiration date has been extended. Tests with extended expiration dates have links to documents that show their Lot Numbers and expiration dates. Find the Lot Number printed on the test kit box, then look for that number on the list to see the new expiration date.
- BinaxOTC tests have an extended expiration date. Find out more at BinaxNOW: Expiration Dates.
Review MDH testing guidance specific to different types of settings to determine appropriate use of a self-test (for example, health care; long-term care, including nursing homes and assisted living; corrections; and shelters).
Accuracy of self-testing products
- Two types of tests are available for self-testing: molecular tests detect the virus' genetic material; antigen tests look for proteins on the surface of the virus. Labeling on test kit boxes say if a test is antigen or molecular. Learn more at Types of COVID-19 Tests.
- For both molecular and antigen tests, it is important to follow manufacturer instructions exactly to get an accurate result. Positive test results from both types of tests are accurate and reliable. This means if you get a positive result on a self-test, you can assume you have COVID-19.
- Most self-tests are antigen tests. Negative results from antigen tests are not as accurate as molecular tests, such as PCR tests. This means that you could have a negative test result even if you are infected with COVID-19. To be confident that you do not have COVID-19 if you get a negative result from an antigen test, repeat testing is recommended by the FDA and CDC. More information about repeat testing after a negative test follows below.
To learn more about available tests, review test information on the FDA websites linked above.
If your test is positive
A positive test means there is evidence of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
If your test is positive, you should:
- Stay home and away from others, even if you do not have symptoms. Follow recommendations at If You Are Sick or Test Positive.
- Tell your close contacts about your test result.
- If you are infected and have symptoms, you can spread COVID-19 to others starting two days before your symptoms start.
- If you are infected and do not have symptoms, you also can spread the disease starting two days before you took the test that showed you were positive.
- Anyone who was within 6 feet of you for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during that time should follow instructions found at Close Contact or Exposure to COVID-19.
- Refer to Reporting self-testing results below.
- If you are at high risk for severe illness (for example, if you are older than 50 years or have underlying medical conditions) and you have symptoms, talk to your health care provider about treatment options.
- Treatment should start within five to seven days from the start of symptoms.
- Go to COVID-19 Medications for more information about risk factors and treatment options, including the free COVID-19 Telehealth Program to access treatment.
- Refer to CDC: People with Certain Medical Conditions for more information on factors that may put someone at higher risk.
- If you have questions or concerns, discuss test results with your health care provider.
If your test is negative
- If you have a negative result on a molecular test like a PCR test, you do not need to repeat the test.
- If you have a negative antigen test result, you should take another test. The CDC and FDA recommend:
- If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and have a negative antigen test, you should test again in 48 hours.
- If you do not have symptoms, were in close contact with someone with COVID -19, and you have a negative antigen test, you should test two more times, 48 hours apart each time, to confirm the result.
- A single PCR test can also be used to confirm an antigen test result. You can use a PCR test if you have not had COVID-19 in the past 90 days. If you had COVID-19 in the past 90 days, use antigen tests. Visit CDC: COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know for CDC and FDA antigen testing recommendations and for testing within 90 days of a COVID-19 infection.
For more details on repeat testing, refer to FDA: At-Home COVID-19 Antigen Tests-Take Steps to Reduce Your Risk of False Negative.
Talk to your health care provider if you have questions about what test to use and when to test. Refer to CDC's guidance at COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know.
If your tests were negative and if you have symptoms and/or fever, you still should stay home until your symptoms are better and until at least 24 hours have passed with no fever, without using fever-reducing medication. If you have concerns about your symptoms, talk to your health care provider.
Seek medical care if your symptoms are not getting better or are getting worse.
People who test negative should continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by staying up to date on their vaccinations, wearing a high-quality and well-fitting mask when recommended, and following other MDH and CDC recommendations. Follow setting-specific guidance if you work or spend time in settings that are at high risk for COVID-19 spread (for example: health care, long-term care, corrections, shelters).
Reporting self-testing results
- If you spend time in facilities or settings that are at high risk for COVID-19 spread, such as long-term care; health care settings; correctional settings; or homeless shelters, you should report a positive self-test to the facility immediately. Facility management should have communicated to staff and clients the importance of reporting positive self-testing results to the facility or setting.
- If you are taking a self-test and are not connected to a setting like those listed above, you do not need to report the results of the self-test to local or state public health. If your test result is positive, you should follow current public health recommendations on If You Are Sick or Test Positive.