# COVID Testing **URL:** \ **Category:** Medical Q&A \[Moderated\]\ **Created:** [July 22, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/covid-testing/9150 "2020-07-22T01:57:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![4l3x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/74df32/32.png) [@4l3x](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/4l3x)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/covid-testing/9150/1 "2020-07-22T01:57:57Z")
I work in a gym (minimal ventilation and lots of people exerting themselves) so I think I have increased risk of contracting and spreading covid. Does it make sense for me to get tested so that I could avoid putting others at risk, despite not having symptons? Am I correct that asymptomatic cases are somewhat common, especially among younger healthier individuals? Whenever anyone enters the gym they are screened via a short questionnaire and temperature check, does that render testing pointless? Could knowing I have covid before I am sympotomatic possibly help me preserve my health? Perhaps I could act faster if I do become sympotmatic… don’t know how much practical sense that makes… I’m not gonna sneeze and ask for a ventillator, and if I need a ventilator I’m not sure the test helps figure that out… ---
**Author:** ![Austin\_Baraki](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/austin_baraki/32/1095_2.png) [@Austin\_Baraki](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Austin_Baraki)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 11:49pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/covid-testing/9150/2 "2020-07-23T23:49:51Z")
> Does it make sense for me to get tested so that I could avoid putting others at risk, despite not having symptons? There is a lot that is unknown about the value of testing in various scenarios right now. If you have no symptoms, no known contacts/exposures, and are taking appropriate precautions, I don’t think there is likely to be much benefit to testing here. After all, if you have a negative test, that is only good up until that moment in time - you could plausibly get exposed an hour later, for example. > Could knowing I have covid before I am sympotomatic possibly help me preserve my health? No, not based on any of the current evidence with respect to interventions. ---
**Author:** ![4l3x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/74df32/32.png) [@4l3x](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/4l3x)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2020, 4:31am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/covid-testing/9150/3 "2020-07-24T04:31:04Z")
Thanks for replying Dr. Baraki. A negative result wouldn’t change my behaviour, but a positive would. I actually got tested earlier today, but it’s still valuable to have this input.