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Peach Medical – Home Covid Testing And Pcr

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Peach Medical company provides its customers with at home covid testing antigen and pcr. There are several types of express tests: those that allow you to determine an active infection and those that display already received immunity from a previous coronavirus infection. How to distinguish between these types of tests? And how to conduct the testing procedure at home on your own?

Many people want to know if they are currently infected or if they have already been ill and have developed antibodies due to the immune response. There has been a lot of confusion about coronavirus tests, and the FDA has reported that some test developers have falsely claimed that their tests are FDA approved or authorized and that many commercial tests perform poorly, so getting the facts straight is important.

Coronavirus symptoms: how it all starts

The peculiarity of a coronavirus infection is that at the very beginning, it can easily be confused with a common ARVI caused, for example, by a rhinovirus since the new virus does not manifest itself immediately.

The first characteristic signs of COVID-19, can be relied upon for comparison:

  • headache;
  • the temperature rises and the feeling of fatigue increases;
  • muscles ache and body aches;
  • have a cough;
  • over time,
  • it becomes difficult to breathe;
  • a characteristic feature of covid infection is that a person can stop smelling, they are either distorted, or the sense of smell disappears altogether. The taste is changing. But this does not happen to everyone;
  • manifestation of respiratory failure (appears about a week after the first symptoms during the transition of the disease from a mild stage to an average one).

Therefore, as soon as you feel unwell, it is important to check yourself for any infection as soon as possible. It is convenient that this can be done at home on your own because tests for covid have now become common and help in diagnosing for self-control.

But before we dive into the details, let’s start with a brief overview of the types of coronavirus tests.

What are the tests for coronavirus: two types?

Rapid tests for coronavirus are of two types. The first determines the presence of an infection at the moment – they tell you that you are sick now or are currently a carrier. The second type determines specific antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and reports that you have previously had a coronavirus infection, and at the moment, you have immunity to covid.

#1 Live Virus Test: PCR and Antigen

This test detects the SARS-CoV-2 virus to determine if you have an active infection and are contagious, that is if you are currently shedding the infection. Although you can be contagious before any symptoms appear, the virus is best detected by this test about two weeks after infection or when symptoms first appear.

The coronavirus test is best done by taking a sample of mucus from a swab (usually from the nasopharynx or nostrils) or saliva.

There are two types of tests for the covid virus:

  • PCR;
  • antigen test

What are the tests for coronavirus: two types

Both tests must be analyzed in the laboratory or on a special portable, fast machine.

PCR is done by amplifying the genetic material (RNA) of a virus. This may take from several minutes to several hours.

Another type of viral test is the antigen test. It identifies a protein that is specifically found in the virus. The advantages of the antigen test are that it can give results in as little as 15 minutes and can be produced at a lower cost, allowing it to be more widely used in screening (it is a rapid test). In addition, only a nasal swab from the nostrils is needed, not a much deeper nasopharyngeal swab. The downside of antigen tests is that they are more likely to give a false negative result.

So far, the FDA has only authorized four lab tests for antigens:

  • Sofia 2 SARS Antigen FIA by Quidel Corporation,
  • BD Veritor system for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2,
  • LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2
  • Ag test Ag Card BinaxNOW COVID-19 by Abbott.

#2 Antibody test to determine immunity to coronavirus

This test detects antibodies to the virus by drawing blood (drop or vial) to determine if you have been infected in the past and if you have developed a certain level of immunity. This test is best done in a lab, even with a test strip.

Because antibodies take time to develop, antibody tests are most accurate if taken at least 20 days after the first symptoms of the disease. This was shown in a study of 486 patients with COVID-19, in whom the likelihood of a positive antibody (IgG) test result increased over time after testing positive for the virus.

Another way our body fights the virus is with T cells. Preliminary research suggests that even if antibody levels are too low to be detected, people previously infected with the virus can produce a sufficient T-cell response to confer immunity. However, currently approved tests do not measure this type of immunity, and social distancing and health precautions should still be applied regardless of test results.

Home Rapid Tests for Coronavirus: Advantages and Disadvantages

The FDA has authorized the use of several virus tests for self-administration at home. There are two types: the antigen test and the PCR test, each with its pros and cons.

Home antigen tests give results within 15 minutes. They can be used for people with symptoms or for observation – in the second case, you need to take the test twice within three days, at least 36 hours apart. Home rapid tests for the detection of coronavirus.

Benefits:

  1. Can be purchased without a prescription.
  2. Relatively inexpensive.
  3. Very fast.

Disadvantage:

  1. Not as sensitive as PCR tests, so it is possible to miss the early and later phases of infection.
  2. Bottom line: If the result of this test is positive, you may be highly contagious and will need to self-isolate and contact your healthcare provider.
  3. False negative results can be obtained if the test is performed incorrectly. If the result is negative, you may still be contagious.

How to test yourself for coronavirus at home?

Before proceeding with the procedure for taking a smear, you need to familiarize yourself with the precautions. These include the following steps:

  • The test cannot be used if the expiration date has passed.
  • Do not eat, drink or smoke at the test site. The room must be clean.
  • If the packaging is damaged, it is better to replace the test with a new one – whole.
  • You need to use only what is included in the test kit.
  • Follow the procedure consistently and clearly. It is important to carry out sampling correctly, as indicated in the instructions.
  • Failure to follow the procedure may lead to inaccurate results.
  • Specimens should be handled as potentially infectious material. Observe sterility, wash your hands before and after the procedure.
  • In the event that another person is conducting the sampling, he/she should wear disposable gloves and a protective mask.
  • When done, put the test and used parts in a plastic bag and throw them in a waste container.

How to conduct a test?

Before you test for covid, you need to take a swab. Take a sample from the nasopharynx in this way:

    • Tilt your head back 45-70°.
    • Slowly, with a slight movement of your hand, insert the tip of a sterile swab into the nostril and move it along the outer wall of the nose parallel to the sky to a depth of about 5 cm. For children, a depth of 3 cm is enough. You should feel the resistance of the contact of the back wall of the nasopharynx.
    • When you feel that the material rests against the back wall of the nasopharynx, begin to gently rotate the swab inside for a few seconds – this is enough for the swab to become saturated with secretion.
    • Slowly rotate, remove the swab from the nasal cavity.

Another important thing to know is that testing should be done as soon as possible after sampling. In the event that it is not possible to perform the procedure quickly, place the swab with the sample in a dry, sterile and tightly closed storage tube. The sample can then be stored for 8 hours at room temperature and 24 hours at 2-8°C.

To properly prepare and store a swab sample, you need to:

  • unscrew the cap of the tube with buffer;
  • insert a sterile swab into a test tube with buffer;
  • rotate the swab for about 10 seconds while pressing the swab against the inner wall of the test tube;
  • then remove the swab by squeezing it out. It is necessary to compress the walls of the test tube in order to get the maximum amount of liquid from the swab;
  • close the vial tightly with a lid.

Now let’s move on to testing!

The testing procedure is carried out as follows:

  1. To do this, you need to prepare all the materials necessary for testing: a watch, a test cassette, a sterile swab, a test tube with a buffer and a sample. The materials are strictly those that are included in the kit.
  2. Make sure they are at room temperature.
  3. Open the sealed bag, take the test cassette out of the package and use it within one hour.
  4. The best result can be obtained if the test is carried out immediately after opening the package.
  5. Place the test cassette on a clean and level surface.
  6. Unscrew the top of the cap of the sample vial, invert it and add 3 drops of the resulting mixture into the window of the cassette marked with the letter (S).
  7. Record the time.
  8. Record the result after 15 minutes.
  9. Disregard test results later than 20 minutes later.

Result interpretation

The appearance of two colored lines will indicate the fact that the test is positive. One colored line should appear in the control zone (C) and another in the test zone (T). A positive result indicates the presence of antigens or antibodies in the sample.

Negative: One colored line appears in the control zone (C). There will be no line in the test zone.

Invalid: The control line does not appear at all. The reason for this result may be an insufficient amount of the test sample, non-compliance with the testing procedure, and expiration dates.

Conclusion: When is it appropriate to use a rapid antigen test by Peach Medical company?

Before visiting people at risk (before seeing a doctor, before visiting a welfare institution), it should be remembered that a negative test result does not relieve the obligation to keep a distance and wear personal protective equipment. In some cases, it is advisable to test before going to work and use tests for early detection of the disease in work groups. It is also a good idea to test close contacts to make sure they are not infected (before going to the grocery store or pharmacy).

A negative result of a rapid antigen test does not give you the right to prematurely end isolation in case of infection or close contact with a sick person! A person poses a risk of infection even when a rapid antigen test no longer detects this. The use of a rapid antigen test gives the best results if repeated regularly, every few days under the same conditions. Repeated negative rapid test results under the same conditions, the absence of symptoms and close contact with infected people, as well as responsible social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment, reduce the risk of self-infection and transmission of infection to others.