[ad_1]
Why are these rapid tests being tested?
• Successful rapid testing prior to certain mass events will give the Government greater confidence to allow more activities to resume, which have not yet been approved.
• This will allow more activities to resume.
Rapid antigen tests (ART)
What are you looking for
Proteins on the surface of the virus called antigens.
How will they be used?
• Participants will be evaluated before certain mass events. These pilot programs will run until the end of the year.
• However, this does not replace the need for safe management measures as they focus on two separate things. Testing reduces the likelihood of an infected person entering the site, while safe handling measures prevent an infected patient at the site from transmitting the virus, reducing the chances of clumps forming.
Benefits
• Faster (less than 30 minutes) and therefore more feasible for pre-event testing.
• Cheaper.
• Easier to manage.
Drawbacks
• The tests have lower sensitivity and specificity and may carry an increased risk of false positives and false negatives.
• The World Health Organization recommends at least 80% sensitivity and 97% specificity. This means that at least 80 percent of those infected are identified and at most 3 percent of healthy subjects obtain false positives in tests.
How is it done
Some involve the use of a nasal swab from the bottom of the nose.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests
What are you looking for
Covid-19 genetic sequences.
How will they be used?
For most other tests, including tests for essential workers, those with symptoms, and people entering the country.
Benefits
The most accurate tests available today.
Drawbacks
• Long duration: the process from the moment of the swab to the publication of the results takes between one and two days.
• Its laboratory nature requires a logistics chain to transport the samples and specialized systems to monitor / report the results.
How is it done
The swabs are taken from the back of the nostrils or the middle of the nose and the back of the throat.
What is the difference between sensitivity and specificity?
Sensitivity
• The ability of the test to identify those infected as positive.
• This means that a test with lower sensitivity will have more false negatives.
• Given current community prevalence rates of Covid-19, very few people are expected to become infected in the community. Among the few infected, between 12 and 24 percent are expected to give a false negative.
Specificity
• The ability of the test to identify as negative those who are not infected.
• This means that a test with lower specificity has more false positives.
[ad_2]
