FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — During the Fayetteville Board of Health meeting on September 14, doctors talked about delayed positive results for COVID-19 tests.

Dr. Huda Sharaf, medical director of the Pat Walker Health Clinic at the University of Arkansas, says omicron subvariants can hide from the immune system for a while which means some people are not getting positive tests until about a week into their symptoms.

“People are testing on the same day they’re sick, and then finally on day four, day five, day six they’re getting positives,” Sharaf said.

Sharaf says she’s been prescribing Paxlovid more often now to those who are eligible.