Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Could antigen testing be the key to safely reopening the nation?

Christine Lau, MD
Conditions
August 18, 2020
24 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on every aspect of life. With over 5 million cases and 167 thousand deaths in the United States, COVID-19 has caused the nation to shut down. During the pandemic, social distancing and masks have been crucial in controlling the spread of virus. However, with the reopening of the states, social distancing and masks are not the only factors to consider, especially with talks about children going back to in-classroom education, etc.

Containing the spread of virus requires testing to identify individuals who are infected and contact tracing. Current testing for the active infection relies primarily on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a technique that looks for the presence of viral RNA, by amplifying the virus’ genetic material making it easier to detect. These tests are highly accurate, with sensitivity and specificity rates of almost 100 percent. PCR, however, requires specialized lab equipment and reagents, and trained personnel. As such, these tests are costly to perform. In addition, they are time-consuming. Currently, many labs are already backlogged, and in some places, taking up to 14 days to report results.  While people are waiting for results, many go about their normal lives and continue interacting with others and spreading the virus. Contact tracing becomes nearly impossible to conduct, and many people’s infective period ends before getting results, which make isolation useless by then.

As the nation continues to reopen and individuals develop “pandemic fatigue,” we must address the issue of COVID-19 testing. Adequate testing, which involves increased access to testing and fast turn-around times, is crucial – and if this cannot be done with PCR, alternatives must be considered.

Antigen testing, which detects specific proteins on the virus’ surface, is another technique to test for the active infection. Antigen testing requires the sample to have high enough amounts of viral proteins to yield a positive test, which makes these tests less accurate than PCR. Although antigen testing is highly specific, it is less sensitive than PCR. This means, if a patient tests positive on the antigen test, you can be almost certain the patient is infected. If the patient tests negative, however, the possibility of false-negative must be considered.  There are numerous benefits of antigen testing; however, antigen testing is easy to perform, can be done with a nasal swab, yields test results in approximately 20 minutes, and is much cheaper than PCR.

Antigen testing is not a replacement for PCR testing in hospitals or situations where there is high suspicion for infection. Antigen testing could, however, be a screening modality to increase testing to allow for safe reopening, including schools. With frequent testing and quick results, isolation and contact tracing can be done in time to prevent the spread of the virus. This is especially useful in identifying asymptomatic carriers that do not exhibit any symptoms but are capable of spreading the virus to others, who may be more vulnerable to developing severe COVID-19. Although not a replacement for PCR, the antigen test is another test that could help in this pandemic and the safe reopening of the nation.

Christine Lau is a physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

How physicians can find jobs in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries

August 18, 2020 Kevin 0
…
Next

Why gardening is the best medicine

August 18, 2020 Kevin 4
…

Tagged as: COVID, Infectious Disease

Post navigation

< Previous Post
How physicians can find jobs in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries
Next Post >
Why gardening is the best medicine

More by Christine Lau, MD

  • 4 lessons the pandemic has taught health care

    Christine Lau, MD
  • 6 things people should know about the COVID-19 vaccines

    Christine Lau, MD
  • Be grateful this holiday season

    Christine Lau, MD

Related Posts

  • The emotional side of genetic testing

    Erin Paterson
  • A patient’s perspective on genetic testing

    Erin Paterson
  • Are behavioral economic interventions the key to health system improvement?

    Peter Ubel, MD
  • A physician-parent’s thoughts on reopening schools

    Joyce Varughese, MD
  • Medical school testing boards are profiteering during a pandemic 

    Fatima M. Warsame
  • A key tip for premedical students: Ask for help

    Sheindel Ifrah

More in Conditions

  • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

    William Lynes, MD
  • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

    Greg Smith, MD
  • 5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer

    Kevin Jones, MD
  • Changing the pediatric care landscape: Integrating behavioral and mental health care

    Hilary M. Bowers, MD
  • Unlocking the secret to successful weight loss: Curiosity is the key

    Franchell Hamilton, MD
  • The teacher who changed my life through reading

    Raymond Abbott
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The realities of immigrant health care served hot from America’s melting pot

      Stella Cho | Policy
    • The dark side of immortality: What if we could live forever?

      Ketan Desai, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

      William Lynes, MD | Conditions
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What I think it means to be a medical student in the wake of AI

      Jackson J. McCue | Tech
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Our Organ Transplant System Isn't the Failure It's Made Out to Be
  • 2-Minute Clinic: Can You Name This Disease of the Female Reproductive System?
  • Blood Thinner Recall; Marburg Cases Triple; E. Coli in Meat May Cause 500,000 UTIs
  • Sam Neill's Rare Lymphoma
  • Day in the Life of a Doctor: Treating a Patient With Septic Shock

Meeting Coverage

  • Switch to IL-23 Blocker Yields Deep Responses in Recalcitrant Plaque Psoriasis
  • Biomarkers of Response With Enfortumab Vedotin in Advanced Urothelial Cancer
  • At-Home Topical Therapy for Molluscum Contagiosum Gets High Marks
  • Outlook for Itchy Prurigo Nodularis Continues to Improve With IL-31 Antagonist
  • AAAAI President Shares Highlights From the 2023 Meeting
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The realities of immigrant health care served hot from America’s melting pot

      Stella Cho | Policy
    • The dark side of immortality: What if we could live forever?

      Ketan Desai, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

      William Lynes, MD | Conditions
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What I think it means to be a medical student in the wake of AI

      Jackson J. McCue | Tech
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...