>> Jason: THEY HAVE NOT BEEN
USED IN THE BATTLE AGAINST
COVID, RAPID TESTS. >> Karen: AND THEY WANT TO SPEND
>> Karen: AND THEY WANT TO SPEND
MORE MONEY TO GET THEM INTO
COMMUNITY CENTERS, HOMELESS
SHELTERS, PRISONS AND OTHER
LOCATIONS. >> Jason: AND TO MAKE THEM
>> Jason: AND TO MAKE THEM
CHEAPER.
DR. McGEORGE IS HERE TO EXPLAIN
HOW AT-HOME RAPID TESTS WORK AND
WHEN WE SHOULD USE THEM. >> Dr. McGeorge: THANKS TO
>> Dr. McGeorge: THANKS TO
COVID, EVERYONE HAS HAD A CRASH
COURSE ON IMMUNOLOGY.
THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT TESTS, A BLOOD ANTIBODY TEST THAT LOOKS
A BLOOD ANTIBODY TEST THAT LOOKS
FOR YOUR IMMUNE RESPONSE THAT
LOOKS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY
BEEN INFECTED, AND THEN ONE THAT LOOKS FOR THE GENETIC MATERIAL
LOOKS FOR THE GENETIC MATERIAL
OF ANY PRESENT AND THAT’S THE
GOLD STANDARD.
AND THEN THE RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS
OR SIMPLY RAPID TESTS. THEY USE A NASAL SWAB TO COLLECT
THEY USE A NASAL SWAB TO COLLECT
THE SAMPLE FROM THE NOSE LIKE
THE FANCIER PRC TEST BUT LOOKING
FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IT LOOKS FOR ACTUAL PIECES OF
IT LOOKS FOR ACTUAL PIECES OF
THE VIRUS, THE ANTIGEN.
AND THAT’S WHY THEY’RE CALLED ANTIGEN TESTS.
ANTIGEN TESTS.
THIS PROTEIN IS DIFFERENT FROM
THE WELL-KNOWN SPIKE PROTEIN BUT
JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR THE
FUNCTION OF THE VIRUS. IF ANY OF THIS PROTEIN IS FOUND
IF ANY OF THIS PROTEIN IS FOUND
BY THE TEST, IT CAN BE MARKED
MOST OFTEN BY A LINE IN THE
RESULTS AREA.
THERE ARE 7 THAT HAVE
AUTHORIZATION FOR USE AS A HOME TEST.
WHILE THE UNDERLYING TECHNIQUE IS THE SAME, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW
IS THE SAME, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW
THE INSTRUCTIONS TO GET THE
RESULT.
SOME REQUIRE A SMALL PHONE AND
SOME FANCY GADGETRY TO INTERPRET
THE RESULT.
THE RESULTS ARE GENERALLY AVAILABLE IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
AVAILABLE IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
NOW, IT’S IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND, THESE RAPID TESTS
ARE NOT PERFECT.
BECAUSE THEY MEASURE ACTUAL
AMOUNTS OF VIRUS PROTEIN, THEY BECOME MORE SENSITIVE WHEN
BECOME MORE SENSITIVE WHEN
THERE’S MORE VIRUS PRESENT.
SO AT THE START OF AN INFECTION,
BEFORE THERE’S A LOT OF VIRUS,
THEY MAY BE FALSELY NEGATIVE. BUT IF THE TEST IS REPEATED IN A
BUT IF THE TEST IS REPEATED IN A
COUPLE OF DAYS WHEN THERE’S MORE
VIRUS, IT’S MORE LIKELY TO TURN
POSITIVE.
THAT’S CALLED SERIAL TESTING AND
THE RECOMMENDED STRATEGY TO
MONITOR SOMEONE AFTER AN EXPOSURE.
YOU CAN PICK IT UP AS SOON AS
IT’S DETECTABLE AND DECREASE QUARANTINE TIME.
QUARANTINE TIME.
THE IMPORTANT THING, WHEN YOU’RE
TESTING PEOPLE WITHOUT SYMPTOMS
OR KNOWN EXPOSURE, THE TEST IS LESS SENSITIVE BECAUSE AN
LESS SENSITIVE BECAUSE AN
ASYMPTOMATIC PERSON ISN’T LIKELY
TO BE SHEDDING AS MUCH VIRUS.
THEY’RE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO BE
HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS BECAUSE THEY’RE SHEDDING LESS VIRUS.
THEY’RE SHEDDING LESS VIRUS.
THE FACT IS, HOME RAPID TESTS
AREN’T AS ACCURATE AS PCR TESTS
DONE IN A LAB. WHILE WE MIGHT STRIVE FOR THE
WHILE WE MIGHT STRIVE FOR THE
HIGHEST ACCURACY, WHAT GOOD DOES
IT DO IF THE RESULTS TAKE 24 HOURS OR MORE TO RETURN?
HOURS OR MORE TO RETURN?
RAPID TESTS ALLOW FOR EASY
INEXPENSIVE REPEAT TESTS AT A
TIME WHEN MOST RELEVANT.
IN A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE WAS DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO COVID OR HAS
DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO COVID OR HAS
SYMPTOMS THAT COULD BE COVID,
SERIAL NEGATIVE RAPID TESTS CAN KEEP SOMEONE OUT OF QUARANTINE
KEEP SOMEONE OUT OF QUARANTINE
AND THE SENSITIVE PCR TESTS CAN
BE COMPLETED.
THE TESTS ARE NOT FREE.
EVEN WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARTIALLY SUB DIEZING COSTS,
PARTIALLY SUB DIEZING COSTS,
THEY’LL BE BETWEEN $5-15 EACH,
LEAVING MANY WONDERING IF REPEAT