The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises people to perform several tests following a negative at-home COVID-19 antigen test result to reduce the risk of a false negative.
People are advised to use multiple tests over the course of 2-3 days, especially among those who are not experiencing symptoms. According to the FDA, at-home COVID-19 antigen tests detect proteins, called antigens, from the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 but is less likely to detect the virus—especially in early infection or asympomatic people.
The new recommendation comes after the latest study results from people with likely omicron infection showing that repeat testing after a negative at-home COVID-19 antigen test result increases the chance of an accurate result.
If you receive a negative test result, the FDA recommends testing again 48 hours after the first test for a total of at least two tests. If a negative result comes from the second test and you are concerned that you could have Covid-19, you may choose to test again after 48 hours, consider a laboratory molecular-based test, or call your healthcare provider.
To read the full FDA recommendation click here.
