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Months after the pandemic began, people are still searching for a cure for the insidious infection. Over time, the scenario in which COVID-19 remains for a long time both in the world and in our country becomes more and more possible.
Recent antigen testing has proven to be one of the most preferred methods of checking whether a part of the virus is present in a patient’s body. But how do you do an antigen test?
Svishtov hospital was left without doctors or nurses.
“Antigen tests are a type of rapid test that detects the virus itself. They are based on the so-called immunochromatographic principle: the discharge is taken, in this case the nasal discharge, the buffer is dissolved and dripped into the test, similar to how urine drips on a pregnancy test, “explains Dr. Blagovesta Pencheva, medical director of the laboratory. Ramus.
The sample is placed in the test and 15 minutes is waited for the result to be completely definitive. Biologist Stanislava Zlateva emphasizes the basic requirements for the study to be legitimate.
“The control bar should appear, which means that the test is valid, and if the test line appears, it means that there is an antigen,” says biologist Stanislava Zlateva.
However, there is no shortage of situations where the antigen test and PCR readings of the same patient differ.
“Of course, we have had cases with a positive PCR test and a negative antigen test, which depends on the sensitivity of the test. We have also had cases with a positive antigen test, a rapid test and a negative PCR test, which in turn depends on the specificity of the test, ”says Dr. Pencheva. The PCR test is more important.
According to experts, the safety of antigen tests is almost 100 percent and its price is much more acceptable than that of PCR tests. However, a distinction must also be made between the types of antigenic tests: those for influenza strains and those for COVID-19.
2,498 new cases of COVID-19 and 36 died
Experts approve of the idea that GPs have the right to issue referrals for antigen testing, but only under certain conditions.
“I think it is a good idea. It is good that GPs can prescribe such a test at their discretion. It is good to have some criteria, that is, the patient responds as temperature, as other symptoms, loss of smell and everything else from what is being said, because after all this is an expensive test and it cannot be arbitrarily named and even so I suppose that the NHIF has a certain capacity to pay a certain amount of such tests, “says Dr. Pencheva.
They also share that their work and responsibilities increase day by day. And to the question of when the virus will disappear, the answers lie at both ends.
Reporter: Nikolai Beremliiski
See more on the subject in the video.
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