Testing for COVID-19 & What to do after test

COVID-19 TESTING

Drive-up COVID-19 testing is available at the IFHS Clinic in Unalaska / Dutch Harbor. Call 581-1202 to make an appointment.

Whether you test in Unalaska or elsewhere, your testing facility will inform you about how to obtain your test result (negative or positive).

What to do while waiting for your results

If you are being tested because of symptoms or a close contact:

• Stay at home until your test results are back (except to get medical care). Avoid all public places and transportation.
• Keep at least 6 feet from people and animals,including those in your household.
• Avoid sharing personal household items, wash your hands and high touch surfaces regularly.
• Inform your work (or your child’s school) that you are awaiting results.

If you are being tested for screening purposes, continue to wear a mask, wash your hands and stay 6 feet apart from others.

If your test result is positive, most people do well, but it is important to take care of your health and protect those around you:

• Stay at home and avoid all public places and transportation until cleared by public health from isolation (except to get medical care).
• Keep at least 6 feet from people and animals, including those in your household.
• Avoid sharing personal household items (including the restroom), wash your hands and high touch surfaces regularly.
• Inform your work (or your child’s school) that you are positive.
• Wear a face covering if your symptoms allow, even in the house when not in a separate bedroom.
• Designate one household member to bring you food and other necessities.
• If you need non-medical help (e.g., groceries or other support) call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221.
• Notify your close contacts (i.e., anyone who was within 6 feet of you for 15 minutes or longer during the two days prior to when your symptoms started, or when you were tested, whichever is earlier) that they need to quarantine for 14 days from the time you were last together.
• Close contacts should remain in quarantine for 14 days after their most recent exposure to you (regardless of a negative COVID-19 test or a provider’s note).

When to end isolation:

Your isolation period will end after 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared (or date of specimen
collection for people who were asymptomatic at the time of testing) and 24 hours have passed with no fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications) and other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving. Note: people who are severely ill with COVID-19 may require a longer isolation period.

Retesting previously positive people:

• Retesting asymptomatic people is not routinely recommended within 3 months after the date of symptom onset of the initial COVID-19 infection.
• For people who develop new COVID-like symptoms within 3 months after a prior COVID-19 infection, retesting may be considered by a medical provider.
• If your test result is negative, this test shows your result at this moment in time. It offers no protection from future infection. Continue to take steps to protect yourself. You should not be around others until you are feeling better and fever free for at least 24 hours.

Seek immediate medical care if you develop:

• Difficulty breathing
• Bluish, gray, or whitish lips or face
• Constant pain or pressure in the chest
• Severe constant dizziness or lightheadedness
• Acting confused
• Difficulty waking up
• Slurred speech (new or worsening)
• Other symptoms that are concerning

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR CONTACTS

Contact tracing efforts may be delayed. The sooner people know about possible exposure, the quicker they can quarantine or isolate and get tested if needed. This will help prevent COVID-19 from spreading and help keep schools and businesses open. If you test positive, please notify your own close contacts. Using the chart attached to this page,  write down the names and contact information for anyone with whom you spent more than a cumulative 15 minutes within a 6-foot space within a 24 hr period.

Start the chart by filling in the date your symptoms started, or if you have not experienced any symptoms, please write in the date of your test. Then go back two days. This is the time frame that you would be infectious and should alert others of your results. Include all days until you were able to isolate from other people.