This is partly due to how quickly the vaccine clears the amount of virus in the body of an infected person. “If the antigen test depends on the amount of virus in the upper respiratory tract, you will still be infected… for the first few days,” said Dr. Earl Rubin, an infectious disease specialist and director of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Department at Montreal Children’s Hospital. “But you can get rid of the virus faster if you have a good antibody from the vaccine, so the antigen test can be negative faster in those who are vaccinated than in those who are not.” The story goes on under the ad
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Rubin explains that just how quickly a vaccinated person clears the virus does not necessarily mean that fast antigen tests do not work. “Antigen tests are available and (are) fast… You do not have to leave your home, you can do it yourself. “So there are a lot of advantages, but I think people really need to understand the limitations of testing,” he said. Rubin adds that there is a debate among health experts as to whether antigen tests may not be as sensitive to newer variants of COVID-19 as Omicron. “It’s difficult to compare in real time… because antigen tests were not as readily available or used as they are now, but they certainly work,” he said. 1:52 How contagious is the dominant sub-variant of Quebec Omicron BA.2? How contagious is the dominant sub-variant of Quebec Omicron BA.2? In February 2022, the Ontario Science Advisory Board COVID-19 published findings from an analysis of pre-print studies suggesting that the cumulative sensitivity of rapid antigen tests for the detection of Omicron infections is approximately 37 percent. Delta. The story goes on under the ad Health Canada states on its website that it “has no evidence” that the variants affect the ability of test-approved organisms to confirm COVID-19 cases, but notes that these new devices are still being investigated. “All tests have the ability to show a false positive and a false negative,” said Tim Sly, an epidemiologist and associate professor at the Ryerson University School of Public Health. Trending Stories
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“There is a period of about two days before the rapid antigen test begins; because remember, it is looking for protein and there must be enough protein there,” he added.
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Sly says that on the third day, a quick test will be able to get the antigen that is being reproduced in the body. “This is one reason why it is always good to do a second quick test a day or two later, just to make sure it is really negative.” Sly explains that the amount of immunity a person has developed, the percentage of virus that a person can transmit to others, and how serious a person’s illness is, all depend on the viral load, which is the amount of virus he has. one person. their system. The story goes on under the ad 1:56 Most contagious BA.2 sub-variable on the rise in Manitoba, experts say Most contagious BA.2 sub-variant on the rise in Manitoba, experts say – March 24, 2022 Rubin says rapid antigen testing picks up a higher viral load much faster. “The antigen test depends a lot on what we call viral load, and it depends a lot on the stage of the disease you are in,” he said. However, the “real problem” from an epidemiological point of view, Sly said, is that between 40 and 70 percent of people who have COVID-19 have absolutely no symptoms. “You do not really know who is positive about the virus that walks. It could be the person sitting next to you on the bus. “They can drop the virus every time they open their mouths; and you do not know it.” “It simply came to our notice then. And yes, some of these people will continue to develop the disease a little later, and some will never. “This is one of the many aspects of this virus that was a real problem, a real headache.” The story goes on under the ad 1:30 About 70% of COVID-19 cases in Alberta are Omicron BA.2 variant: Minister of Health About 70% of COVID-19 cases in Alberta are Omicron BA.2 variant: Minister of Health – March 30, 2022 This means that people who are carriers of the virus may not be tested at all because they have no symptoms and do not think they have COVID-19. if they happen to be tested, it is often negative. Sly says these people should continue to have multiple tests to make sure they do not have COVID-19. To date, the Government of Canada has stated on its website that the tests are based on molecular tests (PCR) collected by a health professional and that it remains the gold standard for testing. A quick test, however, is “as good as a coin toss,” according to Rubin, especially on the first day of testing. “If a rapid antigen test is positive, it is reliable. “If it is not positive and you have COVID-compatible symptoms, you should treat yourself and the people around you as being COVID positive,” said Rubin. The story goes on under the ad – with files from the Canadian Press © 2022 Global News, part of Corus Entertainment Inc.
