Antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies could turn the Coronavirus from a devastating infection into a cold. To restart, to return to normal as soon as possible, it is necessary to act in several directions. The priority is to limit the virus outbreaks. It is also imperative to trace the contacts at risk and use rapid Covid tests instead of molecular swabs.
When talking about new solutions, we all think about the at-home Covid tests. Many people, though, still don’t have clarity about their usage and where to find them.
In this article, we will share some helpful information about Covid home tests. Let’s take a closer look!
Table of Contents
How do at-home Covid tests work?
The most common at-home Covid test is the antigen test. The rapid antigen test is an examination aimed at identifying Covid-19 patients, even asymptomatic ones. The initial procedure is similar to the more sophisticated and precise one, called molecular PCR.
In both cases, a sample of the secretions present on the upper respiratory tract’s mucous membranes is taken using a nasopharyngeal swab. Then, the roads separate because one test requires a long time to ascertain in the laboratory. The other rapid test is much quicker.
The rapid Covid test can be performed, and the results checked directly at home. You certainly don’t need to be an expert, as the tests are easy to interpret.
What advantages do these rapid tests have?
The main advantage is that the rapid test detects the viral protein and discriminates against positive subjects in just 15 minutes. The other difference concerns the precision index. We can obtain absolute precision in the molecular PCR test.
On the other hand, the rapid antigen test (Covid-19 Ag) has a sensitivity of 93.3% and a specificity of 99.4%. You can find out active infection on people with suspected exposure to Covid-19 with symptoms in the past seven days. The procedure was presented to the WHO, World Health Organization, for the inclusion in the Emergency Use Listing, emergency devices.
At-home Covid test: how much does it cost, and why is it required?
These rapid tests are popular because they are reliable, cheaper than the molecular PCR test in general, and can detect active Coronavirus infections without laboratory equipment. Antigen tests can be a tool to slow the spread of infection by providing information at a stage of the infectious cycle where people are at a higher risk of spreading the disease.
Where to buy the test?
This test (rapid nasal swab, do-it-yourself kit) can be found, depending on the case, in the pharmacy or in the analysis laboratories. It can also be found on the internet, but you must pay attention to the reliability of the site. It is suggested to ask your doctor for an opinion before moving independently.
It should be borne in mind that rapid tests’ availability may vary from one country to another. It is usually found in private laboratories, for a fee, with or without a doctor’s prescription. Many pharmacies only distribute free kits made available by the regional health service.
These new screening tests aim to test more and more people, intercept new asymptomatic positives as quickly as possible, and extinguish any outbreaks. The fight against COVID-19 starts in our homes and the schools.
Conclusion
Among the various companies that are committed to the fight against COVID-19, we find Wondfo Biotech. The company specializes in the R&D, production, sales, and service of point-of-care testing (POCT). Wondfo offers different at-home Covid tests such as rapid antigen and antibody tests.
Hopefully, this brief article provided you with useful information about the ongoing testing situation.
To have more information, check out the Wondfo website.
