All COVID-19 testing and related services must be free of charge to Illinois residents, regardless of insurance or immigration status. Some providers are charging Illinois residents for COVID-19 tests, and/or requiring Illinois residents to receive a COVID-19 serology test to check for antibodies prior to, and as a condition of, administering a COVID-19 diagnostic test. Any provider who continues these practices risks investigation, financial consequences, or other sanctions from the State of Illinois. For tips on what situations will trigger a surprise medical bill, and what do to if you receive one, read more in this Consumer Reports article.

Cook County uses two types of tests to determine if a person is currently infected with SARS-CoV-2,  the virus that causes COVID-19 and its variants or if they have antibodies present indicating they have had the virus. The viral test uses specimens from a person’s nose or mouth.

1. Molecular tests, such as RT-PCR tests. These detect the presence of the virus.
2. Rapid Antigen tests are designed to tell in a few minutes whether someone is infectious.

CDC recommends that anyone with any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 get tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection. If you get tested because you have symptoms or were potentially exposed to the virus, you should stay away from others pending test results and follow the advice of your health care provider or a public health professional.

• People who have symptoms of COVID-19.
• Most people who have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.
• Fully vaccinated people with no COVID-19 symptoms do not need to be tested following exposure to someone with COVID-19.
• People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered do not need to get tested following exposure as long as they do not develop new symptoms.
• Unvaccinated people who have taken part in activities that put them at higher risk for COVID-19 because they cannot physically distance themselves as needed to avoid exposure, such as travel, attending large social or mass gatherings, or being in crowded or poorly-ventilated indoor settings.
• People who have been asked or referred to get tested by their healthcare provider, or state, tribal, local, or territorial health department.

The following people should be tested to determine the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.:

1. People with symptoms in the following list. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can experience mild to severe symptoms. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
2. This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19. Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.

There are a variety of places offering walk-in, drive-thru, or mobile testing for COVID-19. Links offer the most current locations available. These include:

1. Primary care providers are equipped with COVID-19 tests.
2. Pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens. Go to their website for more information and to schedule an appointment. 
3. Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Mobile Testing Sites open to all regardless of symptoms. 
4. IDPH Community-Based Testing Sites are open to all regardless of symptoms.
5. IDPH has a comprehensive list of testing sites. Please scroll to the bottom of the page to view the map and list.

If you need to be tested for COVID-19 and can’t get tested by a healthcare provider, you can consider using either a self-collection kit or a self-test that can be performed at home or anywhere else. Sometimes a self-test is also called a “home test” or an “at-home test.”

When taking the test, make sure to follow all instructions for performing the test.

• Contact your doctor.
• Isolate or self-quarantine as directed by your doctor.
• Inform any close contacts.

The Illinois Department of Public Health Lab turn-around-time is up to 3 days. Specimens are tested in the order received.

Contact tracing is a tool that can help slow the spread of infectious diseases, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In communities using contact tracing, clinics, labs, and hospitals send the names of people who have recently been diagnosed with COVID-19 to their local health department.

The health department asks each person with COVID-19 about people with whom they've recently had close contact. Health department officials then quickly (usually within 24 hours) alert people who are close contacts that they may have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus. Officials don't share the name of the person who may have exposed them. This makes the contact tracing process anonymous and confidential.

The sooner health officials can alert close contacts, the lower the risk of the COVID-19 virus spreading further, according to William F. Marshall, III M.D. and the Mayo Clinic