Covid-19 Antigen Test

Collected

Antigen tests for quick coronavirus detection starting on December 5

In just 15 to 30 minutes of this process, it will be possible to know if a person is infected with coronavirus.

In 31 districts of the country where there is no RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) laboratory, coronavirus antigen will be tested officially.

For now, the program will start in 10 districts from Saturday.

For a fee of Tk 100, people with coronavirus symptoms will be able to undergo the test.

Alamgir Hossain, chief scientific officer of the Institute of Pathology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) of the Department of Health, confirmed the information to Jago News on Thursday night.

From Saturday, antigens will be tested in 10 district headquarters hospitals (Gaibandha, Panchagarh, Joypurhat, Jessore, Meherpur, Brahmanbaria, Patuakhali, Munshiganj, Madaripur and Sylhet).

Staff from 10 districts have already been trained for antigen-based testing.

Standard kits for antigen testing have been brought. Antigen testing will be started in all the districts in phases. Antigen testing will not be performed in asymptomatic suspected patients.

Public health experts say that the number of tests will increase if the antigen test is introduced to know the results quickly and easily. It will also help in coronavirus patient identification, epidemiological planning and various policy making.

The government's Covid-19 test policy states that no specialised laboratory is required to test antigens. However, the specificity of the antigen test is almost 100%, but the sensitivity is low.

As a result, there is a fear of getting negative results by testing the samples of a person infected with Covid-19. So if the antigen test is negative, it should be confirmed through PCR or Gene Expert test. And if the antigen test is positive, that person will be considered as a Covid-19 positive.