![]() PCR is exquisitely sensitive for picking up people who have had coronavirus but at best 40% sensitive for picking up people who are infectious with coronavirus. The information is confused because the studies compare against testing PCR positive, rather than how infectious someone is. The results are consistent across studies if you allow for differences between labs and the phase of the pandemic that the study was done in. There is no magic test that is 100% accurate, but lateral flow is a useful public health test, picking up at least two thirds of those who might pass on the virus, and probably over 80% of those most likely to pass it on. Why do different studies with similar tests seem to report different conclusions? Both tests require swabbing the nose or throat. It is different to the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, which are sent off to a lab to detect virus particles, and are considered the gold standard. ![]() ![]() It works by detecting fragments of the virus' genetic material. What is a rapid antigen test, as opposed to a PCR test?Ī rapid antigen test, also called a lateral flow test, gives results in about 15 to 30 minutes. President Joe Biden has said that he will ramp up testing in his COVID-19 strategy. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said in April Amazon was working on building its own testing lab to enable the company to test its employees, including those without symptoms. In the US, President Donald Trump's administration relied on rapid antigen tests, and Americans can get the test from some pharmacies and drug stores. The idea is to identify people who are unaware they're infectious, so they can isolate, and stop the virus spreading. ![]() The UK government on Sunday ramped up rapid antigen testing, which tests for the current presence of the virus in your system, through a scheme that allows companies to regularly test workers even when they don't have symptoms. It often indicates a user profile.ĬOVID-19 rapid antigen tests, which give results in half an hour or less, have become central to the fight against coronavirus - but some experts are questioning their accuracy. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. ![]()
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