The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that quick tests are only 50 to 70 percent accurate. They’re the most common flu test performed at hospitals and walk-in medical clinic in California during flu season.
In the event of an influenza outbreak, a positive rapid flu test is likely to indicate an influenza infection. However, rapid tests can vary in their capacity to detect flu viruses, depending on the type of the rapid test that is used, and on the characteristics of the flu viruses circulating.
This medical treatment also appears to be better at detecting flu in children than in adults. This variation in the ability to detect viruses can result in some people who are infected with the flu to have a negative rapid test result. (This situation is called a false-negative test result.)
Despite a negative rapid test result, your provider of urgent care services in Modesto, California may diagnose you with flu based on your symptoms and their clinical judgment or they may choose to use an influenza diagnostic test.
During an outbreak of respiratory illnesses, testing for flu can help identify if flu viruses are the cause of the outbreak.
Get in touch with Progressive Urgent Care – Modesto to get the protection you need this flu season!