Health officials in the US are warning that at-home antigen COVID-19 tests may be less effective at detecting cases of the Omicron variant - the super infectious.
Saying: "Early data suggest that antigen tests do detect the omicron variant but may have reduced sensitivity." In other words, if you are infected with the Omicron variant, some antigen tests may be more likely to provide a false negative result than if you had Delta.
Until this issue is resolved, the FDA says the two following brands of antigen tests are "Expected to fail to detect" the Omicron variant, so people should take extra precautions: Meridian Bioscience, Inc. Revogene SARS-CoV-2 and Applied DNA Science Linea COVID-19 Assay Kit.
People to use antigen tests just as before, although they should be aware of other factors.
Antigen tests work by detecting proteins known to be associated with SARS-CoV-2, which are present when someone is infectious.
PCR tests work by detecting the virus's genetic material, RNA. In comparison, PCR tests are very accurate and significantly more sensitive as they involve a step where the genetic material of the virus is amplified, making it easier to spot.
One tip that could help antigen tests detect a case of Omicron is ensuring to thoroughly swab the throat.
Thursday, December 30, 2021
FDA Warns Rapid Antigen Tests Less Accurate For Omicron
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