If your COVID-19 rapid test turns positive, but the line is faint, unfortunately it still means you have COVID. However, a re-test might be in your future.

Experts discuss what it might mean if you get a faint line on a home COVID-19 test, when to take another test and what precautions to take.

False negative results are known to occur fairly frequently with rapid antigen COVID-19 tests and, to a lesser extent, with the more accurate RT-PCR tests.

You can exhibit COVID-19 symptoms yet test negative due to early infection, low viral load, or immune response. PCR testing ...

“COVID-19 tests, particularly PCR tests, are generally effective in detecting the virus, with high accuracy during the symptomatic phase,” the CDC response team wrote.

If your COVID-19 rapid test turns positive, but the line is faint, unfortunately, it still means you have COVID-19. However, a re-test might be in your future.