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Covid positivity can also be certified by antigen tests, so-called quick swabs that give the result in 20 minutes.
by Marzio Bartoloni
Covid positivity can also be certified by antigen tests, so-called quick swabs that give the result in 20 minutes.
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Covid positivity can also be certified by antigen tests, so-called quick swabs that give the result in 20 minutes. Therefore, the molecular confirmation buffer will no longer be necessary in the event of antigen positivity. If not in certain cases, for example when used for screening activities (such as in schools), while in the case of positivity in clusters where there are other positives, the antigen test will suffice. This is the mini-revolution that is announced with the arrival in recent days of a circular from the Ministry of Health signed by the Director of Prevention Gianni Rezza who is working on it with the Regions. Revolution that will also weigh on the allocation of colors (yellow, orange and red) for regional closures based on infections.
The next circular: yes to rapid diagnostic tests
The novelty is not insignificant in the complex geography of tools to curb Covid. Not only because quick swabs are essential for follow-up operations, especially now that the school, including high schools, will reopen starting next January 7. But also because the promotion of these rapid tests – also available in pharmacies in some regions – will also have an effect on the case count and the incidence of positives in the population. And therefore also on the decision to insert a Region in the yellow, orange or red area. Quick swabs and their use, already massive in some Regions such as Veneto and Lazio, will enter the count of the bulletin published by the Ministry of Health that photographs the trend of infections together with molecular swabs considered until now the only reliable test to verify the positivity for Covid. So, after several months of experimentation and after the green light from the ECDC (European Center for Disease Prevention and Control) and the EU Commission to use them, Italy has also decided to “promote” them. The circular should detail the cases in which these tests will be considered “diagnostic” (that is, capable of certifying positivity by themselves) and those in which confirmation of the molecular swab will be necessary (which requires at least 24 hours for results).
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Change the calculation of the positivity rate and weight in the 21 indicators
The arrival of the circular was confirmed by Rezza himself in recent days: “We are working on new recommendations that review the test methods. Molecular drugs are still the gold standard, but antigens offer useful opportunities. ‘ “We are working on a circular that changes the definition of cases,” added the Director of Prevention of the Ministry of Health, who also confirms the fact that data will be made public “on how many antigenic tests are carried out and their results when the new circular It will therefore be published in a very short time. ”Its official count in the bulletin will also have an effect on the calculation of the 21 parameters with which the Iss-Regions control room photographs the evolution of infections in the weekly report. Report that is then used by the Minister of Health Speranza to decide with the ordinances the coloration of the Regions based on the risk of Covid (yellow, orange and red). A fact that could radically change the situation in some Regions such as Veneto where perform more than 30,000 rapid and molecular media swabs. If only the latter are counted, the positivity rate is higher than 20%, if the tests are also taken into account of antigen, the rate drops to 5%. Below the threshold of most regions.
