DES MOINES, Iowa — On Thursday, President Joe Biden unveiled his winter plans for combating COVID-19 and its omicron variant. The plan includes requirements for private insurance companies to cover the cost of at-home tests and tightens testing requirements for people entering the United States regardless of their vaccination status.
Medicap Urbandale owner and pharmacist John Forbes says he believes PCR tests give people the most accurate results.
"That's the one that most healthcare professionals rely on to really give you the diagnosis of COVID-19 if you have it or not," Forbes said.
The test is completed in Forbes's pharmacy and gives results in about a half-hour. However, he says it is not covered under insurance and can cost people around $120.
If that PCR test isn't in your budget, you can get a free one through Test Iowa.
The spit test can be picked up at places like health departments and clinics. Forbes says the results can vary anywhere from 24 hours to a few days.
"It's a great program, it's a PCR test. And the cost is covered 100% by the state of Iowa, we get federal funding for that," Forbes said. "People in Polk County, if they pick up a test kit at the Polk County Department of Public Health and they have it back in by 3 p.m. that day the test kit will then be couriered over to Iowa City. You get your results usually back within 24 hours."
Over-the-counter antigen tests can be purchased for around $25 dollars for a package of two tests. The nasal swab test is completed at home and gives results in about 15 minutes. While Forbes says the price and convenience make the tests a great tool, there have been some cases of false positives.
"If it does come back positive, I would probably recommend following up with a PCR test just to confirm that you do have COVID-19."
Most importantly, if you have been exposed to someone positive with the virus, health experts urge you to wait at least five days until you're tested.
"Because it takes a while for that virus and that viral load to grow in your body," said Polk County Health Department Public Health Communications Officer Nola Aigner Davis. "You may have a false negative and then you can turn around and be positive. So you can get tested too early and think you are fine. And you could have symptoms and be positive or you could be asymptomatic and be positive."
While waiting to get tested or receive your results, experts recommend you act as if you are positive for the virus. This includes wearing a mask and isolating to prevent any possible spread.
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