Antigen COVID-19 Test Kits Have Sufficient Accuracy for Self-testing at Home

[webfact]

 

By Woraprat Lerpaisal

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand’s National Health Security Office (NHSO) says that the accuracy of Antigen Test Kits (ATK) for COVID-19 testing has been found to be adequate for self-testing at home.

 

NHSO Secretary-General Dr Jadej Thammatacharee said the NHSO, along with the Public Health Ministry and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, conducted COVID-19 tests using ATKs on 50,000 people and found that 10% were infected.

 

He said the results were rechecked using the Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test which found only a 3% discrepancy rate, indicating that ATKs are sufficiently accurate. The kits can be used to conduct tests at home.

 

Dr Jadej said the NHSO is procuring more kits and asking disease control officials to distribute them to the public. The office is also cooperating with over 200 local clinics, 69 health centers in Bangkok and local hospitals across the country to conduct COVID-19 tests using ATKs.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-07-24

 

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[bunnydrops]

What I read is that the Antigen test are more prone to false positives than false negatives. You could save money by taking the Antigen test if lab checked if you were flying to the US, which excepted them, but if you got a false positive you would have to pay take and pay for another PCR test to confirm the Antigen test.

[Lemonltr]

A good example of "Thainess".. I had (like many I guess) an ex who habitually and blythley made comments whilst seemingly totally unaware of the implications of what she said..Yes EX. 

To support his case Dr. Jadej announces that out of 50.000 tests 10% (5.000) were positive. Did It not dawn on him that (extrapolated) had 50.million Thais been tested instead of 50.000 that we, at 10% positive, would have  5.000.000 positive cases today. Have we? 

[Caldera]

Another great example of knowledge already being widely available in the world, but Thais insisting on coming to the same conclusion all by themselves, a year or so later.

 

It's saddening in this case, because these test kits could have been available before the 3rd wave even started.

[chilli42]

I am missing something.  Why is there a need to do a lowered accuracy home test?  If you have symptoms of Covid then get a proper test (such as it is) …. or be responsible and self isolate.  If you have Covid, it’s not like they can do anything for you. Are they expecting people to home test if they don’t have symptoms?

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, Lemonltr said:

A good example of "Thainess".. I had (like many I guess) an ex who habitually and blythley made comments whilst seemingly totally unaware of the implications of what she said..Yes EX. 

To support his case Dr. Jadej announces that out of 50.000 tests 10% (5.000) were positive. Did It not dawn on him that (extrapolated) had 50.million Thais been tested instead of 50.000 that we, at 10% positive, would have  5.000.000 positive cases today. Have we? 

Probably yes.

[thailand49]

44 minutes ago, chilli42 said:

I am missing something.  Why is there a need to do a lowered accuracy home test?  If you have symptoms of Covid then get a proper test (such as it is) …. or be responsible and self isolate.  If you have Covid, it’s not like they can do anything for you. Are they expecting people to home test if they don’t have symptoms?

I think these test are being pushed because the system is overwhelmed, panic has developed Thais are rushing down to get tested even when they don't have symptoms then there is the panic someone walks into a mall visit a particular store they are infected now everyone who entered the mall during the day is being called down for test 3 days later retest.  Since this 3rd wave the wife has been call a half dozen times although I was with her each time being a foreign told that we get treated equally I've not been called.????

[sapson]

Has anyone been able to buy a test kit from their local pharmacy? they were going to be available this week according to statement a few days ago.

[sapson]

1 hour ago, chilli42 said:

I am missing something.  Why is there a need to do a lowered accuracy home test?  If you have symptoms of Covid then get a proper test (such as it is) …. or be responsible and self isolate.  If you have Covid, it’s not like they can do anything for you. Are they expecting people to home test if they don’t have symptoms?

You can easily be asymptomatic or very minor symptoms, if you get a proper test as you say it will cost 3/4k and you risk then being incarcerated which will cost a lot and as you say what are they going to do.

 

But if you home test for a few hundred baht with a kit and after a couple of positives providing you are not too unwell you could self isolate at home and hopefully recover.

[wwest5829]

2 hours ago, chilli42 said:

I am missing something.  Why is there a need to do a lowered accuracy home test?  If you have symptoms of Covid then get a proper test (such as it is) …. or be responsible and self isolate.  If you have Covid, it’s not like they can do anything for you. Are they expecting people to home test if they don’t have symptoms?

I confess that not having any symptoms, I would like to know if I have been previously exposed and being asymptomatic I have built up immunity? Just posing a thought/question.

[connda]

3 hours ago, chilli42 said:

I am missing something.  Why is there a need to do a lowered accuracy home test?

So people without symptoms and who feel perfectly fine can go home and then scare the hell out of themselves.
In the meanwhile medical supply companies are making a killing.

[connda]

52 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

I confess that not having any symptoms, I would like to know if I have been previously exposed and being asymptomatic I have built up immunity? Just posing a thought/question.

Antigens tests don't show that.  You need an Antibody Test which are not going to be available in stores.  You need to go to a lab.
If you go to a lab and pop positive on an Antibody test, then you know you've had Covid.  But-then you'll be forced to take a PCR.  Cycle counts for PCR tests are not standardized.  The lab can use any value they want.  So they decide to use a CT of 45 and presto - The farang has Covid.  Now you're marched into forced incarceration followed by expensive medical bills. 

My guess is that they don't want people to know if they have been exposed to Covid and have natural immunity and antibody resistance.  They want everyone to get shots because shots create revenue and profits - natural immunity does not.  And right now the pharmaceutical companies and medical suppliers are riding the crest of a trillion dollar emerging market.
Covid hyperbole will never, ever be allowed to go away. It will be amplified and hyped for years to come.

[samtam]

28 minutes ago, connda said:

Antigens tests don't show that.  You need an Antibody Test which are not going to be available in stores.  You need to go to a lab.
If you go to a lab and pop positive on an Antibody test, then you know you've had Covid.  But-then you'll be forced to take a PCR.  Cycle counts for PCR tests are not standardized.  The lab can use any value they want.  So they decide to use a CT of 45 and presto - The farang has Covid.  Now you're marched into forced incarceration followed by expensive medical bills. 

My guess is that they don't want people to know if they have been exposed to Covid and have natural immunity and antibody resistance.  They want everyone to get shots because shots create revenue and profits - natural immunity does not.  And right now the pharmaceutical companies and medical suppliers are riding the crest of a trillion dollar emerging market.
Covid hyperbole will never, ever be allowed to go away. It will be amplified and hyped for years to come.

I agree regarding Antibody not Antigen. Not sure about forcing anyone to have a PCR test, however, as you would have to pay for it.

[sapson]

37 minutes ago, samtam said:

I agree regarding Antibody not Antigen. Not sure about forcing anyone to have a PCR test, however, as you would have to pay for it.

As mentioned previously antibody tests are available, I was offered an antibody test for about 900 baht at  local lab nine months ago,the lab was part of the Thonburi group who have several around the country.

[samtam]

25 minutes ago, sapson said:

As mentioned previously antibody tests are available, I was offered an antibody test for about 900 baht at  local lab nine months ago,the lab was part of the Thonburi group who have several around the country.

And I presume you weren't forced to have a PCR test aswell.

[placnx]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

He said the results were rechecked using the Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test which found only a 3% discrepancy rate, indicating that ATKs are sufficiently accurate. The kits can be used to conduct tests at home.

The correct term is Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_transcription_polymerase_chain_reaction

Note the difference between RT-PCR and qPCR.

 

Supposedly there will be several brands of rapid antigen tests available. They seem to cost 400 Baht. It might make sense for those who can afford it to check someone with two different brands since there can be false positives and false negatives.

Edited July 24, 2021 by placnx
explain more

[sapson]

34 minutes ago, samtam said:

And I presume you weren't forced to have a PCR test aswell.

Indeed not the lab wouldnt do a PCR test that was hospital only, at the time 9 months ago I took neither test.

[bbabythai]

6 hours ago, chilli42 said:

I am missing something.  Why is there a need to do a lowered accuracy home test?

If one has a pcr test at any hospital and you are positive you are then immediately locked up in a state quarantine facility for 2 weeks- even if you have little or no symptoms. Now do you understand why????

[chilli42]

5 minutes ago, bbabythai said:

If one has a pcr test at any hospital and you are positive you are then immediately locked up in a state quarantine facility for 2 weeks- even if you have little or no symptoms. Now do you understand why????

I see.  So they are making the antigen test available so that people don’t have do a PCR test and go into state quarantine if the result is positive.  This seems uncharacteristically thoughtful of the government authorities.  I guess this will keep the state quarantine beds from filling up.
 

[sapson]

8 minutes ago, chilli42 said:

 This seems uncharacteristically thoughtful of the government authorities.  I guess this will keep the state quarantine beds from filling up.

Asymptomatic people could isolate at home freeing up beds and nursing staff for the patients in more serious condition.

[Rulie]

antigen tests are the way forward, where can I get one.

[connda]

1 hour ago, sapson said:

Asymptomatic people could isolate at home freeing up beds and nursing staff for the patients in more serious condition.

They should but the government is a collection of control freaks.  They didn't set up the infrastructure to monitor at home quarantines like the UK.  From the get go it was if you popped a positive PCR then your were forcefully incarcerated so you could be monitored by health care workers acting at security guards.  Health care workers need to concentrate on health care, not defacto prison guards. 
When they started the stupidity I said it would blow up on them - and it did.  They still want to incarcerate as many as they can but they have fubared there hospital's capacity and ability to function.  If you're over 60 and asymptomatic they'll still force you into medical incarceration. 
So home antigen tests!  Once they are available I'll get some for the family.  If I ever feel sick and pop positive I'll home isolate. We're prepped.  We can stay at home for two week or more without leaving.  I wish the government power junkies had some common sense but they don't.  So you have to game the system.

[placnx]

23 hours ago, chilli42 said:

I see.  So they are making the antigen test available so that people don’t have do a PCR test and go into state quarantine if the result is positive.  This seems uncharacteristically thoughtful of the government authorities.  I guess this will keep the state quarantine beds from filling up.
 

The people who spend the money to test themselves must be interested in knowing their status. Hopefully, they would if positive isolate themselves from others.

 

Home tests are available in the UK. From an epidemiological standpoint it makes a lot of sense, if the testing is done properly. Dr Michael Mina has been trying to get the US government to do the same. At some point, if enough people get vaccinated there (or here), home testing will be instrumental in squelching outbreaks.

[chilli42]

On 7/24/2021 at 12:30 AM, sapson said:

Asymptomatic people could isolate at home freeing up beds and nursing staff for the patients in more serious condition.

Indeed they could and should do so.  What would drive them to self test if they are asymptomatic?  

[Caldera]

33 minutes ago, chilli42 said:

What would drive them to self test if they are asymptomatic?  

Having met someone recently who has since tested positive. A very common scenario in the last few weeks.

[onthedarkside]

A post from an unknown / dubious source has been removed.

 

[wprime]

On 7/24/2021 at 5:41 AM, Lemonltr said:

A good example of "Thainess".. I had (like many I guess) an ex who habitually and blythley made comments whilst seemingly totally unaware of the implications of what she said..Yes EX. 

To support his case Dr. Jadej announces that out of 50.000 tests 10% (5.000) were positive. Did It not dawn on him that (extrapolated) had 50.million Thais been tested instead of 50.000 that we, at 10% positive, would have  5.000.000 positive cases today. Have we? 

That's only logically applicable with a randomised sample. People who get tested are more likely to be infected than the general population so it's a biased sample.