False negatives are an issue with any test. This may be because the amount of the virus in your sample is so low, it can’t even be detected or because not enough of your sample was taken for an accurate reading. “At Scripps, we are well aware of the potential for false negatives, and our strategy has been to use universal precautions, in that all health care workers in our system wear a surgical mask while in a patient care area, wear fresh gloves with every patient, and perform meticulous hand hygiene,” says Ghazala Sharieff, MD, MBA, Scripps chief medical officer, clinical excellence and experience. “Also, if we have a strong suspicion for COVID, we don’t rely on a single negative test and we retest as needed.”