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A doctor or medical professional will take a sample of a person’s respiratory fluids from an individual’s nose, or a sample of blood to begin testing for coronavirus infection.
If your medical provider or doctor think you may have COVID-19 he or she will contact the CDC or local health department, you may also be sent to a special laboratory for testing.
The types of tests currently used to detect coronavirus infection are:
Swab Test.
An individual’s health care professional will use a special swab to take a sample of the mucus in a person’s nose or mouth.
Nasal Aspirate.
By injecting a saline solution into an individual’s nose and then suctioning it out, this solution will then be used to test for coronavirus infection.
Tracheal Aspirate.
In some instances, an individual’s medical provider may insert a bronchoscope down their mouth and into their lungs to take a sample for testing, although this is rarely used.
Sputum Test.
A person’s medical practitioner may require them to cough up sputum (phlegm) from their lungs into a special cup, an individual may also need to have a sample taken from their nose also.
Blood Draw.
By taking a sample of blood directly from an individual’s arm, a health care professional can use this draw to test for coronavirus.
At present, there is no 'norm' when it comes to testing for coronavirus so an individual may need to take one, or all of these tests mentioned above to give their medical provider a much better idea of the scope (if any) of infection with the coronavirus.