Safety
Experts Explain Covid-19 Testing and Test Effectivity
Molecular tests are the most effective for detecting coronavirus, according to medical experts.
Photo: United Nations
Photo: United Nations

Flight crews should expect several days to pass from a Covid-19 exposure before they can be accurately tested for infection, and they should know that not all tests are created equal. That’s according to experts, including Mayo Clinic's Dr. Bobbi Pritt, who spoke with AIN and said molecular-based tests are the most effective at detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. She explained that detection requires an incubation period of anywhere from three to four days following exposure. It can take anywhere from two to 14 days for symptoms to appear, Pritt said, although for most people they become symptomatic five or six days after exposure.