Since the opening for sale in pharmacies last summer, antigen tests have become the most frequently used test for those citizens who have any suspicion of suffering from coronavirus. With Christmas and family reunions approaching, their sales have skyrocketed. But do we really know what these tests are and how to use them?
What is the antigen test?
The tests available in pharmacies are self-diagnostic antigen tests, easy to use following the instructions and which detect the presence of virus proteins.
How reliable is the antigen test?
It is higher in the first days of infection, when the viral load is highest and especially in symptomatic cases. For someone infected at this stage, they have a reliability of 90%.
What to do if it comes out negative?
It does not guarantee with total certainty the absence of infection, so caution must be exercised and prevention measures such as a mask and ventilation must be maintained at all times.
What to do if it comes out positive?
In case of have symptomsyou have to isolate yourself and contact the health center by phone to receive the pertinent instructions.
In case of have no symptoms, the result must be confirmed by PCR, for which it must be requested through the form enabled on the Astursalud website. If there is difficulty in doing so, contact the health center. While the PCR is carried out and the result arrives, it is necessary to isolate yourself and inform the people with whom you had close contact in the 48 hours prior to the antigen test so that they take more precautions and reduce social contacts until the PCR result is known. .
What if the line is not clearly visible?
If the line of our antigen test is unclear, the person is positive even though the viral load is very low, hence the line is not as clear as in the previous case.