PCR analysis It is performed in a laboratory and is a highly reliable means of determining whether you are currently infected with COVID-19. If you obtain a PCR test from a private firm and it comes out positive for COVID-19, the lab is required to notify the HSE. This means that contact tracing can be used to reach your close connections. A negative result does not guarantee that you are free of SARS-CoV-2 infection. A PCR test measures the amount of virus present in a sample of blood or sputum. This test cannot tell if you have been infected with coronavirus and then recovered. There are other tests available that can do this - an ELISA test being one of them. The PCR test is very specific though - it can only detect viral RNA. Once the virus has gone, it can't be detected any longer. Speech therapists will be able to advise you on the best way to manage any symptoms that may arise as a result of your infection.