COVID shared many symptoms with other illnesses such as the flu and the common cold, so it can be hard to know when you should get a COVID test. Due to the nature of COVID and how quickly it can spread, it is best to get a COVID test if you have any symptoms that are related to COVID such as fever, cough, sore throat, headaches or a general feeling of being unwell. If you have any of the COVID symptoms you will need to isolate at home to ensure that you aren’t potentially infecting others. You will also need to isolate while you await the results of your COVID test. You should also be tested for COVID if you have been identified as being a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID. The availability of testing will vary by area, with some regions offering asymptomatic testing and other regions only allowing testing when individuals are presenting symptoms or have been identified as a close contact of a confirmed case. A health care provider can help inform your decision on when to be tested as well based on any symptoms you may have, potential close contact you have had with other people and if you have travelled out of the state or country. As COVID continues, some countries now require proof of a negative COVID test for you to enter their country and you may be required to present proof of a negative COVID test prior to returning home.