The new crown antigen self-test is here, do I need to buy a self-test?

Since the beginning of March, local clustered epidemics have occurred in many places and cities in my country. The epidemic spreads rapidly and is highly hidden. It has involved 28 provinces, with a total of more than 15,000 confirmed cases. Many places have adopted prevention and control measures such as isolation, and residents’ lives have been affected.

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In order to better respond to the epidemic, from March 11, the Comprehensive Team of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council announced that it will promote the monitoring mode of “antigen screening and nucleic acid diagnosis”. Residents can purchase antigen detection reagents to self-test for COVID-19 if needed.

In the past two days, residents in many areas have received self-test kits issued by the government.

Can this self-test measure the new coronavirus? Who needs to be tested? If the self-test is positive, does it count as a new crown infection? What if I don’t report it?

Dr. Clove Health Encyclopedia has compiled several related questions about the new crown self-test, which must be of concern to you.

Who is suitable for the antigen self-test?

People who are undergoing home isolation, close contact and sub-close contact, entry isolation observation, closed control area and control area should be organized and managed by the relevant management department.

Are the antigen self-test results accurate?

Antigen detection is less accurate than the current centralized nucleic acid detection, and is more likely to have false negatives (there was an infection, but the results did not show positive) and false positives (there was no infection, but the results were positive) ).

According to WHO recommendations, the probability of false negatives for antigen testing cannot be higher than 20% and the probability of false positives cannot be higher than 3%. At present, the accuracy of the labeling results of brand products allowed to be used in China is higher than the WHO standard.

However, based on current data, antigen testing for asymptomatic infections is less effective, with only a 58% chance of being positive.

Antigen self-test can only be used as a supplement to nucleic acid test at present.

What happens if I test positive and don’t report?

At present, the antigen self-test has just started in China, and a complete closed-loop test data reporting has not been established (some regions have already begun to supplement it). But in most cases, self-assessment is entirely conscious. No registration is required to purchase self-test kits, and results are not automatically uploaded. In theory, no one will know if it is not reported.

According to the introduction of relevant experts, it is likely that relevant rules will be introduced in the future, and the current AIDS management methods will most likely be referred to. “Those who conceal and fail to report their positive self-test results, even if they are quarantined at home but infect their family members, should be held accountable.“

Image source: Clove Home Health Store

How do I purchase a self-test box? Do you recommend buying it yourself?

At present, most of the self-test kits are distributed by the community according to the requirements of epidemic prevention and control in various places, and the test is completed.

If you do not belong to the group recommended for self-testing, because the number of infected people in China is still relatively small, there is basically no possibility of a positive test, but it is more likely to be misled by false positives. Therefore, it is generally not recommended to purchase measurements by yourself. It is best to follow the community arrangements.

Of course, if there is physical discomfort such as fever, there is no convenient condition for nucleic acid detection, and it is not serious enough to seek medical treatment, I do not object to making a preliminary judgment by self-testing.

At present, all major e-commerce platforms have launched or started pre-sale of self-test kits.

What do you think about the test results?

Negative results: red or purple band at C, no band at T.

Invalid result: No red or purple band at C, regardless of whether or not a band at T.If the result is invalid, you need to take the test strip and test again.

Positive result: Red or purple bands are shown at both C and T, and the T band can be dark or light. It should be reported to the community (village) immediately.