Should You Be Tested for COVID-19?

As of Thursday, May 21, 2020 the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Massachusetts is 90,084 with 6,148 confirmed Covid-19 deaths. The state has performed 501,486 tests to date.

Should you be tested? If you have symptoms of the virus, even if they are mild, you should absolutely contact your health care provider and a test site near you to schedule a test. Symptoms may include:

• Fever, chills or shaking chills
• Signs of a lower respiratory illness (e.g., cough, shortness of breath, lowered oxygen saturation)
• Fatigue, sore throat, headache, body aches/myalgia, or new loss of sense of taste or smell
• Other less common symptoms can include gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), rash, and inflammatory conditions.
• In elderly, chronically ill, or debilitated individuals such as residents of a long-term care facility, symptoms of COVID-19 may be subtle such as alterations in mental status or in blood glucose control

In addition, if you are in close contact with someone who has tested positive contact a site near you to schedule a test. Here is a list of testing sites in Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/doc/ma-covid-19-testing-sites/download

 

Source: Mass.gov