Many people assume that if they get sick with flu-like symptoms and go to the doctor, they will be tested and told whether or not they have H1N1 swine flu. Unfortunately, this just isn't the case. Testing is much more complicated than it sounds and the majority of tests that are performed are not highly accurate.
Many doctor's offices and hospitals are not testing for H1N1 swine flu at all anymore because the CDC is no longer tracking the number of cases. Still others are testing and may be telling patients that they have H1N1, which is most likely true, but the tests that are being performed cannot tell them what strain of flu the person has, only that they either have the flu or they don't.
At the hospital where I work as a nurse, we are not testing anyone and only those who are at high risk for complications or those who are sick enough to be admitted to the hospital are being treated with antiviral medications. This is confusing to a lot of people who believe the test is simple and accurate when it really is not.
Learn more about H1N1 swine flu testing and what to expect if you get sick.
