Do quick home tests detect the newest variant of the Omicron BA.5?

The so-called test strips were developed to detect earlier variants of the coronavirus. However, as we know, new mutations have already appeared in the world that are responsible for the majority of infections. Does this mean that current home tests will not be able to detect them? Does it make sense to do them? You will find the answers below.

1. From April 1, PCR tests are no longer financed by the National Health Fund
2. Most people use home antigen tests
3. We check how effective they are in detecting newer mutations of the coronavirus, including the Omikron variant
4. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Currently, the BA.5 sub-option is responsible for over 80 percent. infections around the world. Scientists are still trying to find out more about it. It is already known that people who are vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as those who have already passed the coronavirus, are also at risk of infection with it. This is because the virus mutates and changes.

Home tests and the new Omicron sub-variant

Antigen tests are also called strip tests. How do they work? Their main task is to detect a specific protein on the surface of the coronavirus. If they are in the taken sample, a chemical reaction takes place. There are two windows on the strip test. The first one has only a control function. Its job is to check if the test is working. The second strip, on the other hand, usually turns blue or red. This happens when these proteins are present in the sample.

When the first Omicron wave appeared, there was a risk that existing tests might not detect this variant. Scientists have looked into this problem. The conclusions of their research were published in the “JAMA Open Network”. What did they find out? In their opinion, the tests so far were still able to detect Omikron, but much less.

The problem arises primarily with people who do not have any symptoms. Then the tests detect an infection much less often. When symptoms appear, the effectiveness is 77,8 percent. This was confirmed, inter alia, by research carried out by scientists from the University of Massachusetts. They also showed that the effectiveness of antigen tests when the patient develops symptoms is about 80%.

Therefore, if we suspect that we are infected, we should still get tested. Scientists argue that it is worth doing at least two with an interval of about two days. During this time, there will be more viruses in our body. This makes it easier for the test to pick them up.