PWNHealth provides clinical oversight and care coordination (including independent physician review of test orders) for COVID-19 testing programs nationwide. PWNHealth physicians use technology-assisted protocols to facilitate triage, evaluation, patient education and post-test telehealth consults to ensure patients proceed along the appropriate care pathway in a clinically sound manner.
No. PWNHealth is not a reseller or direct distributor of COVID-19 testing.
PWNHealth is required by law to report any positive COVID-19 molecular results to state or local health departments. You may be contacted to discuss who you’ve been in close contact with. It may be helpful to start thinking of the people you were in close contact with, beginning 2 days before your symptoms started (or if no symptoms, 2 days before you had your test taken). If you have additional questions, please contact your local health department or visit the CDC website .
Coronavirus disease (also called COVID-19) is an infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus), one of the most recently discovered types of coronaviruses. Those who have this disease may or may not experience symptoms, which range from mild to severe.
Symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after being exposed to the virus. The most common symptoms include:
Cases of COVID-19 range from mild to severe. Some people who are infected don’t have any symptoms and don’t feel sick. Most people have mild symptoms. Visit the CDC website for more information about symptoms.
COVID-19 is very contagious. The risk of getting COVID-19 depends on many factors, including close contact with people who have symptoms of COVID-19. It is important to follow your federal, state, and local government guidance to protect yourself from exposure.
If you think you have been exposed, it is important to closely monitor for symptoms. Seek medical attention immediately if you develop severe symptoms, especially if you experience:
An antibody test checks to see if you’ve developed antibodies against COVID-19, which occurs after being exposed to the virus. Antibody tests do not show whether a person is currently infected. A molecular test checks for genetic material (viral RNA) produced by the virus. It determines if you’re currently infected and can spread COVID-19 to others.
You should get an antibody test if you’ve been previously exposed or believe you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 and want to see if you have developed antibodies. You should get a molecular test if you think you have an active COVID-19 infection.
No, antibody tests do not show whether a person is currently infected. Therefore, they should not be used in place of a molecular test to diagnose a current infection.
Yes, antibody tests can complement molecular tests by providing information about exposure and how the immune system responds to COVID-19 infections.
You do not need to do anything to prepare for the test. You do not need to fast or stop taking any medications before testing.
There is currently no treatment for COVID-19. Not all patients with COVID-19 will require medical attention, and most people recover within 2 weeks without any specific treatment. For severe cases, hospitalization and respiratory support may be required. For mild cases, treatment focuses on managing symptoms.
There are three different types of antibodies: IgM, IgG, and IgA.
Based on the most current research, antibodies develop around 1 to 3 weeks after infection from COVID-19. However, this varies by individual, and some people may take a longer time to develop antibodies.
Antibody tests do not show whether a person is currently infected. A molecular test is a more reliable indicator of current COVID-19 infection.
Yes, you can have antibodies from an asymptomatic COVID-19 infection. An asymptomatic infection is when you are infected but do not show any symptoms.
The test can show a negative result even if you are infected with COVID-19*. This can happen if:
*Although the possibility is low, a false negative result should be considered if you have had recent exposure to the virus along with symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
This test can show a positive result even if you are not infected with COVID-19. This can happen if there was a problem with your sample or the test itself. These tests have been designed to minimize false positive results. If you are concerned about the accuracy of your results, ask your healthcare provider if you need further testing.
Indeterminate means that the test did not detect a clear positive or negative result. It was unable to accurately detect COVID-19. Your result could be indeterminate if: