Testing Continues to be a Critical Strategy to Slow COVID-19 Transmission

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in the Fairfax Health District, testing remains a critical action to help stop community transmission. This is especially important as we see increases in the community and a growing number of outbreaks in schools and childcare facilities. Testing is important as prevention because those who are positive should stay home and away from others (isolate), reducing the chance of spreading infection to others in one’s family, to co-workers, or to people in the community.

Testing is available at pharmacies and many other sites around Fairfax County. The Health Department also will continue to offer free testing at its mobile testing clinic, see: dates locations and important details. In addition, you can now order more at-home tests from the federal government at no charge.

To help slow the spread of COVID-19, the Health Department continues to encourage you to get tested whenever you have symptoms of COVID-19. Even if you think your symptoms probably are allergies or “just a cold”, getting tested is important because COVID-19 can cause illness that may be confused with allergies or a cold but can progress to more serious disease, or can spread to others who can get more seriously ill.

When to Get Tested

When you have symptoms, get tested immediately and follow isolation guidance while you are waiting for the test result. If you test negative for COVID-19, consider testing again one to two days after your first test if symptoms continue.
If you plan to attend an event or gathering, especially if it is indoors, you can reduce the risk of bringing COVID-19 to the event and spreading it by getting tested as close to the event date as possible.
All air passengers ages 2 years or older, regardless of vaccination status, traveling internationally must show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than one day before returning to the United States. Anyone leaving the U.S. should check with their destination and follow the guidelines for that location. Guidance for testing before and after travel within the U.S. is also available from the CDC.
Anyone who is exposed to someone with known COVID-19 should get tested 5 days after your last contact with them. See additional guidance for what to do when you are exposed in this toolkit.

Learn more about testing.

What to Do if the Test is Positive

Isolate: stay home and away from others, even if you are vaccinated. You should stay home for at least 5 days after symptoms started or since the date of your positive test if you have no symptoms. Before leaving isolation, you should be fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine and have no symptoms or improving symptoms. If possible, take an antigen (an at-home test) test on Day 5. If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. Wear a mask when around others at home and in public for a full 10 days.
Identify and inform your close contacts; notify each person you have been within 6 feet of for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, beginning two days before you developed symptoms or two days before you took your COVID-19 test.
Use the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Isolation & Quarantine calculator if you need help determining specific days and/or actions to take.
Read complete guidance on precautions to take after testing positive.

Getting tested and taking appropriate action is crucial in helping to stop community transmission of COVID-19. Ensuring you are up to date on vaccination and using other layered mitigation strategies like staying home when you are sick, choosing to wear a well-fitting high-filtration mask, distancing from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces also remain effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The CDC’s Coronavirus Self-Checker is an interactive tool that can assist people ages 13 and older, and parents/caregivers of children ages 2 to 12, on deciding when to seek testing or medical care if they suspect they may have COVID-19 or after an exposure to someone with COVID-19.

Don’t delay; test soon and treat early.

Stay Informed About COVID-19

Call our Health Department Call Centers Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for questions about COVID-19 (703-267-3511) or vaccines (703-324-7404). You also can email ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Text FFXCOVID to 888777 to receive updates from Fairfax County about COVID-19; text FFXCOVIDESP to 888777 for updates in Spanish.
Visit a web portal for coronavirus that serves as a one-stop online resource for information.
Learn more about COVID-19 on the Health Department Coronavirus (COVID-19) Webpage or FAQ page.
Follow the Fairfax County Government Facebook Page and Health Department Facebook Page.
Follow @fairfaxcounty and @fairfaxhealth on Twitter.