Will COVID-19 vaccines cause me to test positive on COVID-19 viral tests?

No. These vaccines will not cause you to test positive on viral tests, which are used to see if you have a current infection. If your body develops an immune response, which is the goal of vaccination, there is a possibility you may test positive on some antibody tests.  Antibody tests indicate you had a previous infection or vaccination and that you may have some level of protection against the virus.

Experts are currently looking at how COVID-19 vaccination may affect antibody testing results.