You tested positive for COVID-19 at home. Now what? KY’s reader questions, answered

With more than half of Kentucky counties at the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s high COVID-19 community levels and many public health measures to prevent the spread of disease rolled back, some Kentuckians have been writing to us with questions.

You’ve asked about home tests, undercounts, antibody testing and more, and we’ve rounded up a few common queries and asked state and local health authorities to weigh in.

Here’s some things to know about COVID-19 in Kentucky.

I tested positive for COVID-19 at home, do I need to report it?

No. Both the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department confirmed those who test positive at home do not need to contact the agencies.

“Tests kits at home aren’t reportable, and people don’t need to call with those results,” Kevin Hall, spokesperson for the LFCHD said in an email.

What should you do instead? CDC guidelines state individuals who test positive should isolate at home for at least five days. If you must go out, wear a well-fitting mask. If others live in your home during isolation, try to limit contact with them.

Per the CDC, the day you test positive is considered “day 0,” and the day after, the first full day, is considered “day 1.” If you develop symptoms within 10 days of a test, that day-count “clock” resets to zero.

Those with severe illness should seek medical attention.

Those without symptoms can come out of isolation after day five, according to the latest guidance. Those with symptoms at day five should be fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication and have improving symptoms to leave isolation.

“If you had moderate illness (if you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing), or severe illness (you were hospitalized) due to COVID-19, or you have a weakened immune system, you need to isolate through day 10,” the CDC says.

Everyone who tests positive should wear a mask in public for at least 10 days, per the guidelines, and regardless of when you come out of isolation, you should avoid others until at least day 11.

I tested positive for COVID-19 at home, do I need to get a PCR test?

No, according to the state.

“Individuals who test positive on a home kit do not need to be retested with a PCR or antigen test,” Susan Dunlap, spokesperson with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, wrote in an email.

Instead, they need to follow the CDC guidance for a positive test and isolate accordingly.

Where can I get tested for COVID-19 in Fayette County?

A number of testing options remain available in Lexington, as of the end of July. Many are now by appointment.

You can check out Wild Health testing, options for veterans and pharmacy locations with testing by visiting lexingtonky.gov/COVID-19/Drive-Thru-Testing.

You can also use the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services’ online search tool to find a testing site.

Where can I get at-home COVID-19 tests?

The federal government is mailing free, at-home COVID-19 test kits to all U.S. households for a third time.

You can visit covid.gov to request your kits or call 1-800-232-0233. The site also has information about seeking reimbursement from insurance for the purchase of at-home tests.

Many retailers are also carrying home test kits, though if you are purchasing them, be sure to select U.S. Food and Drug Administration-authorized products.

Be mindful of expiration dates on home kits.

Is there anywhere in Fayette County I can get antibody tested?

Yes, several retailers are offering antibody testing for a charge, including Kroger.

Like other testing, you will likely need to make an appointment.

Antibody testing, most often a blood test, can provide information on whether or not you have had a past infection by the coronavirus.

You can also seek antibody testing through your primary care provider.

How many undercounted COVID-19 cases are there in Kentucky?

Health officials don’t know, though state officials have reiterated in recent weeks that the official case counts and positivity rate are likely lower than actual counts due to at-home testing and other factors.

“The No. 1 thing you can do to prevent serious illness is get vaccinated, get boosted and, if eligible, get that second booster,” Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday.

The CDC has released some estimates on likely numbers of infections nationwide, including 146.6 million COVID-19 infections from February 2020 to September 2021.

Dunlap said the state is not independently estimating undercounted cases.

What about reinfections? If I’ve had COVID-19, am I safe?

A COVID-19 infection does provide antibodies that offer some protection, the CDC reports.

That said, the latest subvariants of the dominant omicron variant, BA.4 and BA.5, have a shorter window for protection from reinfection, according to recent findings from Australian researchers. The immunity period could be as short as 28 days.

When can I get my next COVID-19 booster?

Federal health officials have said immunizations from COVID-19, like the annual flu, may need to be updated regularly, though the U.S. has only approved a second round of boosters for the immunocompromised older than 12 and all those older than 50.

That could be changing soon, however. Monday, Pfizer-BioNTech sent its updated booster to the FDA for emergency approval. The booster is aimed at better protecting against the BA.5 variant.

This story was made possible thanks to reader questions. If you have a question about the coronavirus in Kentucky for our service journalism team, we’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.