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Is a Negative COVID-19 Test Result Truly Negative?

If your coronavirus test came back negative, you might not be out of the woods just yet. The trustworthiness of a negative result depends on the type of test you took, when you tested, and how much contact you've had with other people.

By Leslie Nemo
Nov 9, 2020 7:20 PMNov 9, 2020 7:19 PM
relief coronavirus deep breath woman take off mask - shutterstock
(Credit: Elizaveta Galitckaia/Shutterstock)

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Celebrities have definitely done it, and maybe you’ve done it too: Get a COVID-19 test and if it’s negative, go on vacation with your closest friends.

Experts warn that this is not a good idea. That's because a negative COVID-19 test only says so much. Whether the test correctly identifies you as uninfected depends on the kind of test you were given, how well the test was administered, and what you’ve been doing (and who you’ve seen) recently.

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