@winetarelli posted:For the record, for anyone else… I tested negative on a rapid at home-antigen test. But I just had a gut feeling, even though the symptoms weren’t too bad, so I went and got the official PCR test, which was positive. My point is, if you think you might have it, don’t rely on at-home testing as definitive.
Only partly agree. More specifically, the home rapid spike protein Antigen test is less sensitive- ie needs higher titers to read positive. You could run out and get an expensive gene amplification PCR and waste time, money and resources, or wait 24-48 hrs and repeat the home test, which inevitably is positive after 2 day incubation. As stated in the NEJM, both choices are effective, and unless clearly immunocompromised and unvaccinated where there is large risk in waiting, or have a vital work or other obligation that can't wait that time, the latter is wiser and less resource costly. Remember, if you think you have it and are not dying, diagnosis is safely presumed, behavior is quarantine at home, and treatment is supportive stay at home. If you have influenza, adenovirus or rhinovirus, behavior and treatment is the same. I've posted NEJM AMA recommendations below
Rapid Diagnostic Testing for SARS-CoV-2
List of authors.
KEY CLINICAL POINTS
Rapid Diagnostic Testing for SARS-CoV-2
Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) that are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to diagnose severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are either nucleic acid amplification tests to detect genes or antigen-based immunoassays to detect proteins of SARS-CoV-2.
RDTs are approved for use in persons with symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and in asymptomatic persons who are close contacts of a person with Covid-19 or who have been in a potential high-risk transmission setting.
Symptomatic persons should undergo testing as soon as possible, quarantine while awaiting test results, and consider retesting if they have a negative RDT, particularly if they have a high pretest probability of infection.
Asymptomatic persons with a known exposure to SARS-CoV-2 should undergo testing 5 to 7 days after exposure, and if the RDT is negative, they should undergo testing again 2 days later.
Persons with a known exposure to SARS-CoV-2 who are not fully vaccinated should quarantine while awaiting test results, and persons who test positive should isolate, contact a health care provider or public health department, and inform close contacts about the infection.