Rapid Antigen Test for Covid 19 is an innovative diagnostic tool. The ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) approved the test for quick detection of coronavirus causing Covid 19. It is widely recommended for usage in field settings and healthcare settings together with the RT-PCR test, which is a gold standard test.

Rapid antigen test for covid 19 is one of the easiest visual-read exams that doesn’t require any specialized lab instrument or technician to administer. It delivers results within 15 minutes of the test. This particular test may be done on people irrespective of their symptoms of covid 19.

What Is The Rapid Antigen Test for Covid 19?

An antigen present in the body is a typical molecule that can stimulate the immune response. Antigens could be proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, or polysaccharides. Each of these antigens has distinctive surface features that the immune system recognizes.

The virus causing Covid 19 is SARS-Cov-2. It has many antigens, including the nucleocapsid phosphoprotein as well as spike glycoprotein. Both are visible protrusions.

The antigen test can reveal if there is a pathogen infection like SARS-CoV-2. Once this infection is cured, the body is free from the antigen.

Unlike common nucleic acid-based exams like PCR that detects genetic material in the body, antigen test detects glycans or proteins like spike proteins that may be present on the surface of coronavirus.

They generally take longer to form compared to antibody and molecular tests, as appropriate antibodies used in these assays must be recognized and produced. It is a time-consuming and complex process. Accuracy is also an issue, as antigen tests have lower sensitivity compared to PCR.

However, they generally provide rapid test results, are cheaper, and more amenable, which makes them suitable for exams in communities and remote regions.

What Are the Advantages of Rapid Antigen Test Covid 19?

• Speed: It provides exam results in less than 20 minutes
• Economical: It costs INR1200 only per test in Delhi
• Accurate: If a person receives a positive result, consider it a true positive. It does not require reconfirmation
• Scalable: Rapid antigen test may be used for testing over hundreds of people per day in any field setting
• Ease of conduct: No specialized instruments or machines required to do the test
• Early Diagnosis: Helps with quick and early detection

Who Needs To Do A Rapid Antigen Test?

• Patients showing flu-like symptoms with fever
• Asymptomatic direct as well as a high-risk group of contacts with comorbidities
• Asymptomatic patients undergoing  chemotherapy or patients with malignant diseases, transplant patients, elderly patients
• Asymptomatic patients having or likely to have to undergo surgical or non-surgical interventions like neurosurgery, ENT surgery, dental procedures, and non-surgical interventions dialysis and bronchoscopy

Rapid Antigen Test Procedure for Covid 19

• A medical sterile swab is inserted into the patient’s nostril to reach the surface of the nasopharynx
• Swabbed over the posterior nasopharynx surface to collect a sample
• The swab is withdrawn from the patient’s nasal cavity
• The swan is removed by squeezing both sides to extract the liquid sample
• The nozzle cap is closed tightly
• Three drops of the extracted sample are poured into the specimen well of the rapid antigen cassette
• Get the result within 20 to 30 minutes