Do you want to test for COVID-19 amid this new normal regularly? If you do, knowing where and how to get a COVID test is a must.
Fortunately, more than two years after SARS-CoV-2 first emerged, there are now a variety of tests for COVID-19, one of which is the antigen test.
Here’s everything you need to know about the COVID antigen test.
Antigen test near me
With the Food and Drug Administration having granted emergency use authorization to more than 50 SARS-CoV-2 antigen diagnostic tests since October 2020, the fast antigen diagnostic test is one of the most accessible ways to identify SARS-CoV-2.
Go to the pharmacy closest to you if you need an antigen test kit. You should budget anywhere from a few dollars for a single test kit to up to $40 for a bundle of two test kits.
The FDA has cleared the use of online-purchased at-home antigen diagnostic tests to make access even simpler.
These at-home antigen test kits can be used without a doctor or other healthcare provider’s help. Just be sure to strictly adhere to the manufacturer’s usage instructions to ensure the accuracy of test findings.
At-home antigen test kits can detect COVID-19, but their accuracy depends on test sensitivity and specificity, sample integrity, and strict specimen collection.
How does an antigen test work?
A SARS-CoV-2 antigen diagnostic test detects specific respiratory infectious agents in upper respiratory specimens or saliva. The presence of the viral proteins in the specimen indicates infection.
An antigen quick test can produce results in half an hour at the most, while others require the collected specimen to be sent to a lab with the results available in 24 hours.
Antigen tests for COVID-19 are less sensitive than nucleic acid amplification tests, such as the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the gold standard for testing. But if you need quick results, the rapid antigen test is best for you.
It is extremely important for authorities to quickly implement control and isolation measures at workplaces, nursing homes, dormitories, homeless shelters, transportation, and penal facilities to stop the spread of COVID-19. Antigen tests can also used to evaluate people who have COVID-19 infection but show no symptoms.
According to the most recent information, there is not much proof that blood type and risk for COVID-19 infection are related. The accuracy of the test result unaffected by a COVID-19 test performed on a person utilizing an antigen fast test whose blood type is reportedly more prone to infection.
Antigen vs antibody test
A test for an antigen is distinct from a test for an antibody. To find out if someone has COVID-19 infection, an antigen test used. It is used to people who have exposed to COVID-19 or displaying COVID-19 infection signs. On the other side, an antibody test is performed after a person has recovered from COVID-19 and wants to know if they have produced antibodies following infection.
Which test should I use?
It depends on what the test is for.
Most online pharmacies sell antigen self-test kits that you can purchase without a prescription in advance of attending a meeting. If you have come into contact with COVID-19 or have exposed to it. If someone in your home or place of employment is exhibiting symptoms of illness. You can use this antigen self-test kit.
Visiting a another state? Your needs can met with an antigen home test for travel. Not all FDA-approved antigen diagnostic tests, meanwhile, recognized. Certain at-home antigen tests might accepted in certain situations. The exam criteria in your destination may differ, so be sure to check them.
Convenient access to COVID-19 tests at Ovus Medical
As we emerge from the restrictions in mobility due to COVID-19, knowing that. We can easily access an antigen diagnostic test for COVID-19 is a huge confidence booster. Check out Ovus Medical’s FDA-approved COVID antigen diagnostic test kits and bring that confidence with you wherever you are and wherever you go.
For more information about COVID-19 antigen test kits including bulk orders, get in touch with us now.
