Yes, you can have COVID-19 and test negative, especially with rapid antigen tests, due to factors like testing too early in the infection, low viral load, or incorrect swabbing, though a negative result often points to other illnesses like flu or RSV; however, if you have symptoms, you should isolate and retest, as a negative doesn't rule out infection, and doctors recommend multiple negative tests for certainty.
It means that 20% of the time — or 1 in 5 times to drive the math home — when a person is infected with COVID-19, the test is not picking up evidence of the virus. This is known as a false negative result.
Can you be contagious after a negative COVID test? If you test negative with a PCR test, you are likely not contagious. But if you test negative with an at-home test, the answer will depend in part “on whether the negative COVID test is at the beginning of feeling sick or on the way to recovery,” Mina says.
Always do a repeat test at minimum after 48 hours following a negative test result when using an antigen test. Use the following guidance to help interpret your negative test result and determine what steps to take next.
Visit urgent care for COVID sore throat symptoms and testing
Now that you know sore throat is a sign of COVID-19 infection but can also be a sign of other illnesses, we are here to help. Urgent care offers both COVID-19 testing and provider visits for the whole family.
Symptom check: Is it COVID-19 or a cold? COVID-19 symptoms usually start 2 to 14 days after exposure to SARS-CoV-2. But symptoms of a common cold usually appear 1 to 3 days after exposure to a cold-causing virus. There's no cure for the common cold.
Common New COVID Variant Symptoms in 2025
Ending isolation: You can end isolation after 5 days if you test negative (use an antigen test) on Day 5 or later – as long as you do not have a fever and your symptoms are getting better.
Anxiety is thought to affect test performance. Studies have shown that students with low levels of test anxiety achieve higher scores on multiple choice question (MCQ) examinations than those with high anxiety levels. Female students have been shown to have higher test anxiety levels than male students.
Once the virus lands on a porous material like a fabric, the droplets evaporate much quicker than they do on a hard surface. However, studies have shown the virus can last about two days on some fabrics. It's unlikely you'll get COVID from your bedding, though.
You are likely to be less contagious after your symptoms fully resolve but some people, like those with immunocompromising conditions, can shed the virus for a long time. If you develop a fever or you start to feel worse after you have gone back to normal activities, stay home and away from others again.
Most people spread COVID-19 in the first few days before and after symptoms appear. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you should stay home and away from others until, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms are improving, and you've been fever-free without medication.
A negative COVID-19 test means the test did not detect the virus, but this doesn't rule out that you could have an infection. If you used an antigen test, follow FDA recommendations for repeat testing. If you have symptoms: You may have COVID-19 but tested before the virus was detectable.
The false positive risk is always higher, often much higher, than the p-value. Confusion of these two ideas, the error of the transposed conditional, has caused much mischief.
If you were exposed to someone who has COVID-19 and you do not have symptoms, wait at least 5 full days after your exposure before testing. If you test too early, you may have an inaccurate result. If you are in certain high-risk settings, you may need to test as part of a screening testing program.
A little nervousness before a test is typical and can help sharpen your mind and focus your attention. But with test anxiety, feelings of worry and self-doubt can interfere with how well you do on tests and make you miserable.
How Can I Overcome Test Anxiety?
People who are infected but asymptomatic or people with mild COVID-19 should isolate through at least day 5 (day 0 is the day symptoms appeared or the date the specimen was collected for the positive test for people who are asymptomatic).
If multiple members of your household have symptoms or have tested positive for COVID-19, it's OK to isolate together—you will not make each other sicker by doing so.
from up to 48 hours before your symptoms appear. from up to 48 hours before you test positive if you have no symptoms – even if you don't feel sick, you can still spread the virus. until your symptoms are gone, which can be up to 10 days.
Some people may have symptoms that get worse about 5 to 7 days after symptoms start. Most people with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms. But COVID-19 can cause serious medical complications and lead to death. Older adults and people who already have medical conditions are at greater risk of serious illness.
June 26, 2025 – The new COVID-19 variant that now makes up about a third of U.S. COVID cases has a signature symptom: a painful sore throat that feels like "razor blades." "This 'razor blade sore throat' was reported as a common symptom in China," where the variant first emerged in May, said Matthew S.
COVID-19 symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. The symptoms of a cold may come on gradually, while the flu usually starts abruptly. Below is a chart that may help determine which illness you have. Symptoms can vary widely with each of these illnesses.