The value of COVID-19 antigen rapid test

CarePlus is allowed to perform COVID-19 antigen rapid test for citizens who want to leave Ho Chi Minh City - Officially announced by HCDC and the Department of Health.

1. First, understand that in not every virus infection, there is evidence of the virus in the body, "positive", the consequences are the same.

It all depends on the "content" of the virus in the body. A person who is "positive" for RT-PCR but has a low viral load has no or no symptoms and no or difficulty spreading the virus to the outside world. That is, this person is quite "healthy", not ominous!

2. Second, to properly understand the positive-negative meaning of a test result, it is necessary to consider the aspect of the "threshold of viral content to be detected". Ct (cycle threshold) is an indicator that reflects this threshold.

• If the Ct is set high (eg >30), the threshold for virus detection is set very low: a positive test means that even a tiny amount of virus is detected. But in fact, that person is quite "healthy".
• A low Ct (e.g. <25) means a very high threshold for detecting the virus: the test is "easier" to be positive, and positive also means that the person has a higher viral load and is more contagious.

For example, CarePlus uses Abbott's COVID-19 antigen rapid test (Panbio Rapid Covid Ag test) with 60.9% sensitivity at Ct 25-30 detection threshold and 100% sensitivity at Ct<25 threshold.

It results from a field study (real world) comparing 122 types of rapid tests circulating throughout Germany, not the data provided by the manufacturer, so it is the most objective data. Opening brackets according to the results from this "field" study, Abbott's Panbio rapid test ranks first among the rapid tests circulating in Vietnam.

3. Thirdly, in practical application today, we need and care most about identifying and preventing people at risk of spreading the virus in the collective, office or company working environment.

Then rapid test for COVID-19 antigen is the most suitable test. A person with a negative rapid antigen test result is at low risk of contracting the virus and is unlikely to spread in a community setting.

The US CDC recommends that people boarding have a negative rapid antigen test or RT-PCR within 72 hours. They similarly argue that a negative result within 72 hours makes it unlikely that the person is contagious to passengers on the plane.

In short, the COVID-19 antigen rapid test is to determine who is at high risk of contracting the virus and spreading it to others, not to determine whether or not you have the virus in your body. A negative quick test result means that you are a "healthy" person in the team and community. In the context of the high risk of viruses in the community, understanding the right way to use the value of rapid test weapons effectively is part of life "the new normal".

The post of Master Doctor Hoang Cong Duong

Medical Director, Head of Cardiology Department of CarePlus International Clinic

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