The disturbing question of all: How reliable are rapid tests?

The new variable “Omitron” has increased infection in the United States, and the demand for tests is high. President Joe Biden's administration has soon pledged 500 million complete tests. COVIED for American families. But how reliable are the rapid tests?

Jordan Erby and his partner Julia Weil often visit places where you can be tested for coronary.

“We test so we can meet our friends without worrying that we're spreading COVID”, Jordan Erby.

The couple prefer that they answer whether or not they are infected with coronavirus from a specialized laboratory and do not use the rapid tests that can be conducted at home.

Julia Weil says she used the test once before visiting elderly relatives, but was not sure about the results.

In 2020, researchers found that in people with symptoms of COVID, <x0antigen” or tests that can be done at home were less accurate than <x2 tests > PCR”, which takes up to 48 hours to give an answer.

“We directly compared the antigen test “Biona x NOW” with standard test “PCR” The antigen test failed to detect 20% of all cases with COVID-19.”

There is still no final data on how well fast tests work with the “Omitron”. But experts suggest that people to be sure should be tested more often.

“If you're testing while you have symptoms and a huge viral charge in the organism, the tests are more likely to be accurate in this situation. Otherwise we often recommend multiple tests. So not just a test, but do your antigen test today. After 24 or 36 hours try again”Says Dr. Robert Bollinger, University “Johns Hopkins”

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a California medical professor, says it's important that people do these tests at home.

“Depending on the tests, you're gonna have to rotate the tampon 5 to 10 times on each side of your nose and then turn it into a reactional. And then you measure the time. Do not quickly remove the tampon because it can prove wrong. And don't put it away later because there may be unstable chemicals”, He says.

President Joe Biden's administration has soon pledged 500 million complete tests. COVID for American families and authorities rushing to open new testing sites. But testing is only part of the Biden administration's response to the pandemic.

We still warn our residents and people around the world to follow steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19, whether they have a negative test or not. You need to guard the physical distance, wear the mask when you're in with people, and most importantly vaccinate”, says Hannah Winant of the Public Security Communications Department in Arlington, Virginia State.