COVID-19 in Sask.: What is a rapid antigen test?

REGINA -

Rapid COVID-19 antigen tests are becoming more popular in Saskatchewan with proof of vaccination or negative tests needed to attend many events and businesses.

Rapid tests can detect COVID-19 in a preliminary fashion, providing results faster than a traditional PCR test. The trade-off is rapid tests do not provide a definitive result or diagnosis.

Dr. Nazeem Muhajarine, an epidemiologist with the University of Saskatchewan, compares a rapid antigen test to a pregnancy test because they are primarily used as a screening tool to rule out the possibility of COVID-19.

“The rapid tests is what you do before the diagnosis in order to screen whether you should go get a PCR test,” Muhajarine said.

He added that rapid antigen tests are less sensitive to the virus than the PCR test, meaning it is less able to rule out if someone is negative.

“If you get a negative result, it’s a pretty strong negative result,” said Muhajarine. “Seventy per cent to 75 per cent certainty that you are negative, but there is a certain percentage of uncertainty and it is better to do a second tests within 24 to 36 hours.”

The whole process of getting a rapid test takes about 15 minutes.

“It’s an interior nasal swipe,” Pam Ford, registered psychiatric nurse with Specialty Health Clinic, said. “We do it in both nostrils and then we put it into a buffer solution, add it to the test, wait 15 minutes for the result.”

Ford said the test creates a tingling sensation when the swap goes up the nose, adding most people said it caused their eyes to water or have the need to sneeze after.

The results from a rapid tests are useable for 72 hours before a new tests is needed.

Schools across Saskatchewan are starting to provide families with rapid testing kits through a pilot project.

For the general public to get a rapid test it costs $70 to $80 depending on which vendor it is purchased from.

Muhajarine said providing rapid tests in schools is a great first step to slow the spread of the virus in youth, but added they should be more available to the public.

“Either make it available for free or just for one or two dollars. You have to make it accessible for the people,” he said.

Muhajarine added that making them easily accessible for all will help control the spread of the virus.

The province is working on a “Test to Protect” program to make self tests more available to businesses. (https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2021/september/29/test-to-protect--expansion-of-covid-19-self-testing)

If a resident receives a positive result on a rapid COVID-19 test, they are asked to books a PCR test with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and isolate until those results come in.