Summer brings protests, vacations, get togethers: Should you get a COVID-19 test?

The arrival of summer, the nationwide protests over George Floyd's death and the reopening of cities are all bringing new questions about coronavirus testing.

Should you get a COVID-19 test — which shows whether you currently have an infection — if you're about to go on vacation with family or friends, or attended one of the rallies taking place across the country?

Testing still differs by location and although supplies are increasing, it may still be difficult to find a place to get tested, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted. Though some places, like New York City and Atlanta, have set up additional testing sites specifically for demonstrators.

Antibody tests — which can show if you had a past coronavirus infection — may be more readily available, but there have been issues with the reliability of results. There have also been questions about the accuracy of diagnostic COVID-19 tests.

To get advice about common scenarios people may be facing now, TODAY reached out Dr. Gary LeRoy, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a family physician who practices in Dayton, Ohio.

He worried about a possible spike in cases or a second wave of infections to come.

"A chill goes up my spine every time somebody asks, 'What do you think is going to happen in the future?'" LeRoy told TODAY.

"This is something we in the modern era have never encountered. The closest comparison we have is the Spanish flu back in 1918. That came back."

Here's what you should know:

I'm going to visit an elderly family member. Should I get tested?

No, when it comes to the COVID-19 test, unless you think you've been exposed to the virus, have symptoms, work in an industry where you may come across sick people, like health care, or have seen an uptick of cases in your area, LeRoy said.

Instead, just take the necessary precautions of wearing a mask, washing hands and practicing social distancing.

"If you think you've been exposed or you have symptoms, I would not visit the elderly family member," he noted.

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As a general rule, "I would limit the number of family members who would go and I would make sure they keep that social distance" — 6 feet is usually recommended, but with the elderly, more distance is a better option, he added.

LeRoy recently visited his 91-year-old mother at a nursing home and brought his mask and hand sanitizer. He said it wouldn't be practical to take a COVID-19 test every time he came to the facility.

An antibody test may give people peace of mind that they've already been exposed to the disease, but doctors don't know for sure whether antibodies would provide immunity and for how long, LeRoy said. Plus, the person could still be shedding the virus.

I'm going on vacation with extended family. Should I be tested before going?

Again, no, unless you think you've been exposed to the virus, have symptoms, work in an industry where you may come across sick people, like health care, or have seen an uptick of cases in your area, LeRoy said.

Have a conversation with your family about the location you're heading to and what the risks might be. Beware of a scenario like the crowds at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri over the Memorial Day weekend.

"Even if you tested yourself before you left, once you got into that very crowded situation with a bunch of people standing shoulder to shoulder without masks on, what are you going to do — retest yourself every night?" LeRoy noted.

It would be two to five days before you test positive. It's better to take the necessary precautions: wear masks, pay attention to social distancing, and take hand sanitizer and a thermometer along.

"Everybody should have a clear understanding of their responsibility to take care of themselves so that the family can have a vacation where everybody is safe," LeRoy said.

My kids attended a protest. Should they be tested?

Yes, it's a good idea to get a COVID-19 test about five to seven days after attending a rally, especially if there wasn't a lot of social distancing going on and few people were wearing masks, LeRoy noted.

"You're in the streets of a city and people are yelling and screaming. The more you emote, the more you're likely you are to spread the respiratory virus if you're positive," he warned. Chanting, singing and yelling will all project respiratory droplets farther out.

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Some experts have worried that protesters seeking out a COVID-19 test all at once might overwhelm the system, but LeRoy preferred knowing who is infected rather than having a false sense of security.

"The more testing you do, the more likely you are to have a truer understanding of the actual prevalence of it in your community," he said.

In New York City, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is prioritizing 15 testing sites specifically for people who have participated in the protests.

My kids attended a protest. Should I be tested, too?

Yes, the same answer applies: Get a COVID-19 test about five to seven days after your kids attended a rally, LeRoy advised. That's especially true if you work in health care, a grocery store, a restaurant or any other place where you come across a lot of people and could spread the virus.

"Thousands of people who are protesting can be infected — if they weren't wearing masks and keeping social distancing. They can go back to their home and infect people at their home who in turn can infect people in their schools and churches and events they attend," he noted.

The CDC has guidance on how to find testing in your area.