We're scheduled to be in Paris for two weeks in March. This after multiple trip cancellations since the start of C19. I've just been reading all the posts about the repercussions of being in Paris and testing positive. I regularly suffer from allergies and nightly take an allergy pill. Sometimes my allergies are worse and can be accompanied by tiredness and other minor symptoms such as sniffling. Some of the recent posts about testing positive with little or no symptoms has me thinking. What if I unknowingly had covid during one of these "allergy bouts". It sounds like I'd test positive for 3 months. Is that correct? I wouldn't want to find that out within a few days of our scheduled departure for Paris. What to do? Do I take an antibody test? Is this commonly done. Ugh...always something to ponder and potentially worry about. Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2545 posts
An antibody test isn’t going to tell you anything other than at some point in the past you had Covid. It is no assurance that you won’t get it while on your trip. You can be re-infected, just as those that have been vaccinated can be infected.
I think the bigger concern is contracting it while on your trip and testing positive before returning. Trip insurance is critical at this time.
Posted by
Freedonia
16283 posts
You're confusing "antibody" with "antigen."
As stated earlier, an antibody test lets you know if you've had Covid in the past. An antigen test lets you know if you have it now.
Should you test positive with an antigen test, you then would take a PCR test which is more accurate.
You can take an antigen test anytime if it makes you feel more comfortable. They're not expensive and now in the U.S. the government is picking up the tab for many tests.
Posted by
Midwest
2768 posts
Take a test now to see.
From what I know there are 2 types of test. PCR and antigen. PCR is more sensitive, so this is the one where you are more likely to test positive months later. Places like cvs and Walgreens do them for free. Make sure it’s a PCR not a rapid test. Im not up on the current French rules but I THINK you need the PCR to enter France as well so making sure you are safe to pass this test is good.
If you are positive now, you can look into France’s rules for recently recovered. Some places let you in with an old positive test and a medical statement saying you are now recovered. I don’t know the specific policy, hopefully you won’t need to know it either!
Rapid tests are antigen. Less sensitive so less likely to test positive months later. Best to see if you have covid when you have some symptom. You can also use these to return to the US (check to confirm). There are self tests and ones done at pharmacies. You can do one of these if you get allergies to confirm it’s not COVID.
Antibody tests tell you if you had COVID in the past but aren’t going to say if you will still test positive on an upcoming test for travel. So only useful for if you are curious.
Posted by
Maryland
907 posts
My breakthrough infection was just like many of my previous "allergy" bouts in years past. You simply won't be able to know without testing... every time you get a serious allergy bout between now and your trip.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14738 posts
At present the US is requiring a negative antigen test to return. IF your antigen test comes back positive, you'd immediately get a PCR which is a more expensive test.
Posted by
Chicago
8554 posts
Get a pack of home tests and test before you do the official test to go -- and test every time you have a bad allergy bout. In any case, since you have to test to go to France if you are still testing positive you will not be able to go --