When to get tested and is it a cold, the flu or COVID?

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Marta Lavandier / AP Photo

People wait in cars to get a COVID-19 test, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021, in Miami. COVID-19 has strained some Florida hospitals so much that ambulance services and fire departments can no longer respond as usual to every call.

Airdate: Tuesday, January 11, 2022

After almost two years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., the omicron variant is driving the biggest surge of cases yet.

There are some differences from early 2020 though. Most adults are vaccinated and omicron doesn’t appear to cause as serious of an illness and as many hospitalizations as the delta variant for example.

But almost two years in with ever-changing rules and guidance, testing is once again an issue – especially since even the vaccinated can become infected. When should you get tested? How often should you get tested? What’s the best test to get? How accurate are the antigen tests that can be purchased at a store or online? What should you do if none of the antigen tests are available or can be found on sale?

Also, the symptoms for a cold, the flu and COVID-19 are similar. How can we tell the difference?

To answer those questions and more on Tuesday’s Smart Talk is Dr. Eugene Curley, Infectious Disease Physician at Wellspan Health.