The rapid antigen test is one of the diagnostic methods used to detect the presence of the virus’s antigens to determine if you have an active infection.
As the term implies, rapid antigen tests are designed for quick detection and processing as they are particularly useful for people who may be reaching the peak of their infection. Since results can arrive in approximately 15 minutes, these tests are also useful for emergency settings, such as in hospital triage systems. If you are looking for a faster or more cost-effective method to get yourself tested, you can opt for our antigen swab test in Anna Pharmacy.
If you are looking to get tested, Anna Pharmacy provides this service in the following locations in the UK:
A rapid antigen test is carried out through a nose or throat swab to collect a sample in your nasopharyngeal area. The sample goes through a rapid analysis to check for specific proteins and antigens found in the virus to know if you have an active COVID-19 infection. Antigen tests are designed specifically for the SARS-CoV 2, but their method of analysis is not as in-depth and comprehensive as PCR tests, which detect the virus on a molecular level.
While antigen tests can produce results much quicker than other diagnostic tests, they may not be as effective in yielding accurate results when testing people with lower loads of virus in their system. Generally, positive results from a COVID 19 antigen test are considered to be accurate, but negative results are not always as reliable. There is a higher chance of getting false negatives since it is possible that the virus goes undetected if a person only has small traces of it. In some cases, those who get negative antigen test results may opt to get a PCR test to confirm their results.