Report At-Home Test Results
Help us better understand the spread of COVID-19 in Johnson County by reporting your at-home test results.
The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment is asking Johnson County residents to voluntarily report the results (positive or negative) of their COVID-19 at-home antigen tests. This information is vital to determining if spread is increasing or decreasing in the community.
Contact tracing will not be conducted on any of the test results you report to JCDHE. All submitted information will be stored in a secured database that is HIPAA protected.
FAQs for Reporting At-Home Test Results
Am I required to report my COVID-19 antigen at-home test results?
No. Any results you report to JCDHE are completely voluntary, whether they are positive or negative.
Why are you collecting this information?
In addition to laboratory-confirmed test results, JCDHE will use this information to gauge if the spread of COVID-19 is increasing or decreasing in the community.
Is my data being stored safely?
All information submitted is stored in a secure database with HIPAA protection. Only a limited number of JCDHE staff will have access to the database.
How accurate are the test results being reported?
The test results JCDHE receives from the public are anecdotal only. At-home antigen tests are accurate if the person conducting the test follows the instructions included with the test. Because JCDHE cannot verify if the person conducting the test followed all instructions carefully, JCDHE cannot verify the validity of the test results.
Will JCDHE conduct contract tracing after receiving the results?
Contact tracing will not be conducted on any of the antigen at-home test results reported to JCDHE.
If you test positive, you should notify people you were in contact with in the two days prior to your symptoms starting (or test result, if asymptomatic) that they should take precautions, like wearing a mask in public, and seek testing. See CDC's guidance about "What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19."
What do I do if I get a positive result on a COVID-19 antigen test?
If you test positive, stay home and isolate from others for five days from symptom onset or test date if asymptomatic (symptom onset/test date is considered Day 0).
After five full days in home isolation, wear a well-fitted mask indoors and outdoors when around others for an additional five days. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask.
Follow this guidance from the CDC.
What do I do if I get a negative result on a COVID-19 antigen test?
A negative test result means that the test did not detect the virus that causes COVID-19 in your specimen and you may not have an infection, but it does not rule out infection. If you took the test while you had symptoms and followed all instructions carefully, repeat the test within a few days, with at least 24 hours between tests, to increase the confidence that you are not infected.
It is possible for a test to give a negative result in some people who have COVID-19. This is called a false negative. You could also test negative if the specimen was collected too early in your infection. In this case, you could test positive later during your illness.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms and a negative at-home antigen test, JCDHE recommends you follow up with a PCR test.
Follow this guidance from the CDC.
Which antigen tests are authorized for COVID-19 self-testing?
View a list of EUA authorized antigen at-home tests for COVID-19.