Australia’s trusted Antigen Rapid Tests and how accurate, sensitive and cost-effective they are

Australia’s trusted Antigen Rapid Tests

An Antigen Rapid test is a quick and easy-to-use testing kit by which you can test yourself and find out whether you are infected by COVID_19 or not. Since COVID_19 has been spreading throughout the country very fast and testing wait times blow out, people are increasingly using Antigen Rapid test kits. Antigen Rapid tests are capable of detecting protein fragments specific to the virus and produce results within 15_20 minutes. Therefore, the Antigen test can be a great precaution before attending any gatherings as it is quick and very convenient. A variety types of Antigen tests are available in Australian stores and deciding which test kit to buy is a matter of question.

Types

You can choose between two types of Antigen Rapid test kits:

1. Nasal
2. Saliva/ Oral

Nasal testing is one of the most reliable COVID_19 Antigen Rapid tests. It is accurate and mildly invasive, and as a result does not lead to patient discomfort. Saliva testing is also very handy, useful and comfortable to use. Saliva and nasal Antigen tests are both high-quality and produce quick and trusted results.

Accuracy

When at-home Antigen Rapid tests are used correctly, they will produce accurate results. When the result is positive, you are infected yet should follow your local health authorities to self-isolate or get PCR. A negative result indicates that you are unlikely to be infected yet should wear a mask and follow hygiene tips. Experts say: symptomatic individuals must take an at-home Antigen Rapid test immediately but those who have been exposed to a COVID_19-infected person, must wait three to five days before testing. Because, the test may produce false results since the virus hasn’t had a chance to replicate yet. Experts also say that you should use Antigen tests frequently in order to get highly accurate results.

Quality

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved Antigen Rapid tests for clinical and home use. The TGA carries out a range of assessment and monitoring activities to ensure an acceptable standard and access to therapeutic goods in Australia. The TGA-approved Antigen tests are internationally aligned with specifications published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Commission.

Sensitivity

The TGA has categorized the Antigen Rapid tests according to their sensitivity. The TGA judges the performance of these tests based on PPA (Positive Percent Agreement). PPA is the percentage of individuals who have received positive results using Antigen Rapid testing kits compared with PCR positive results.

Based on the TGA:

• Acceptable Sensitivity: clinical sensitivity greater than 80% PPA
• High Sensitivity: clinical sensitivity greater than 90% PPA
• Very High Sensitivity: clinical sensitivity greater than 95% PPA

Paul Griffen, an infectious disease physician, associate professor in University of Queensland says that he recommends anything that is TGA-approved. He also says that vaccines and testing are highly rigorous and if they are approved and available, he will endorse them.

Note that Antigen Rapid tests do not replace PCR tests, for symptomatic people in particular.

TGA-based categorization table of Antigen Rapid Tests according to the level of sensitivity:

Cost

Antigen Rapid tests are available in packs of One, two, five, ten or more. Medisa Pty Ltd is a reliable supplier of Antigen Rapid at-home testing kits. You can purchase them online or send us an email to info@medisa.com.au to get a quote.