Negative | TRACE-COVID-19

Thank you again for participating in the Team-based Rapid Assessment of Community-Level Coronavirus Epidemic (TRACE) project. As our field team discussed with you when they recently visited your home, we are conducting this public health surveillance project to learn how the SARS-CoV-2 virus is spreading in this community and how common it is for people to have this virus whether or not they have symptoms. SARS-Co-V-2 is the virus that causes the disease known as COVID-19. You completed a brief interview and provided us with a sample from your nose to test for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We have completed testing the sample from your nose.

What was my test result?

Oregon State University’s TRACE project has obtained a test result that did not detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the sample you provided.

What does this result mean?

A negative test result should be interpreted with caution. It is important to note that 10-20% of negative tests for COVID-19 may be false negatives. In this case, a nasal swab sample that you collect yourself may have a higher risk of a false negative result. This means that you could still be carrying the SARS-CoV-2 virus. False negatives could also occur by testing too early in illness, if the sample we obtained was inadequate, or for other reasons.

The fact that we did not detect the virus in your sample does not mean that you are free from the risk of being infected now or in the future. You could be exposed to the virus later and then develop illness. In other words, a negative test result means that you could still get sick.

What should I do now?

We still recommend you follow recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) on how to protect yourself and those around you during this COVID-19 public health emergency.

What should I do if I get sick later?

I do not have health insurance. What should I do if I need to see a medical provider?

We recommend contacting a local Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). FQHCs are in most cities and in many rural areas. They are dedicated to providing high quality, affordable care to everyone and will help you, even if you have no health insurance. Find the nearest FQHC at https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/.

Again, thank you for participating in TRACE. If you have questions, you can contact the TRACE project team at 541-713-0450 or toll free at 1-844-541-4219 or email us at support@trace.oregonstate.edu.

See the websites below that contain helpful resources to protect yourself and those around you as well how to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Oregon Health Authority continue to provide updates on COVID-19 and the safety information for the public.

Visit the Oregon Department of Employment website for updates on COVID-19 related business layoffs, closures and applying for unemployment insurance.

Apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through the Oregon Department of Human Services.

Apply for emergency related day care through the Oregon Department of Human Services. Oregon Early Learning Division has provided resources for families and child care providers who may face virus-related disruptions.

Governor Kate Brown has expanded child care benefits for families and providers during the spread of COVID-19. Contact the Oregon Department of Human Services Direct Pay Unit with questions at 1-800-699-9074.

Visit the Coronavirus Tax Relief page on the Internal Revenue Service website for COVID-19 tax relief related to paid leave for workers and tax credits for businesses related to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that was signed into law.

Visit the CDC’s Information for Travelers or the State Department’s Travel Advisories if you are planning on travelling outside of the United States.