In response to the coronavirus disease, some governments have established rules that limit
personal freedoms and hamper their own economies, placing billion people under home
confinement. Some countries have implemented generalized tests for current infections, while others have limited these tests to hospitalized people, at least during the early stages of their responses.
As the new controls begin to be imposed, the race to develop and pass these types of tests
increases. Diagnostic companies are struggling, and governments are looking to order millions of these antibody tests. However, there are still some technical questions about optimizing the test design, mainly to understand how the viral coating triggers the recognition and neutralization of the virus by a healthy immune system. It is clear that alongside the fight against this virus, there is a race against time to achieve economic and social normality for the population.
COVID-19 testing is currently the best tool for fighting the epidemic. The health of people and the economic recovery are today the two most important pillars of our stability. Coronavirus detection tests are currently the most effective tool with which we can stay on our feet.
The scenario that opens up now is knowing how to detect what type of tests are the most
effective in this fight against Covid-19. In general, if a test can show that a healthcare
professional has already had Covid-19 and is therefore likely immune, they can return to work without fear of infection.
Thanks to everyone’s effort when it comes to testing for COVID-19, today we have a much
greater and faster detection capacity. Covid test kit can even be used independently at home.
There are some online services exist, providing fast and reliable tests. It is already possible to know, in the short term, whether we are infected or have passed the disease individually, as if there is a focus of infection in a group of people, be it a company, family, etc.
Many hospitals in our country have carried out more than a thousand detection tests for SARS-CoV-2 since the beginning of the epidemic. Detecting positive cases and isolating them prevents the spread of the virus within the group, which allows the company’s productive activity to continue.
Some hospitals offer discounts of up to 20% for groups and companies of more than five people.
Thus, families, companies or organizations can benefit from more favorable prices if they go to the hospital in groups.
There are three types of tests for the detection of COVID-19 or its antibodies in the body:
1. PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) detects the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the body at the
moment. PCR makes it possible to detect a fragment of the genetic material of the virus. In addition to being fast and effective, it is the COVID-19 detection test recommended by WHO and health authorities.
2. The quantitative ELISA test or serological test measures the amount of antibodies that the body has been able to develop after infection. It is a blood test and it is common to perform it as a complement to the PCR if it is positive and we want to know if we have the antibodies. In case the serological test is positive for antibodies, it is recommended to perform PCR to check if the disease is already overcome.
3. The rapid test detects the antibodies that the body generates against the virus. It is done in a simpler and faster way, but its sensitivity and specificity are lower than a quantitative (serological) ELISA test.
To perform the tests it is not necessary to be fasting.
