You swabbed the inside of your nose and performed the at-home rapid antigen test for COVID-19 and thankfully, it was negative.
Hold on. Do the test again, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, whether you have symptoms or not.
The FDA said today it “is advising people to perform repeat, or serial, testing following a negative result on any at-home COVID-19 antigen test, to reduce the risk an infection may be missed (false negative result) and to help prevent people from unknowingly spreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus to others.”
At-home tests detect the antigens from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. The FDA says that the rapid-antigen tests “are less likely to detect” the virus than molecular tests and thus it is recommending multiple tests.
“This is especially true early in an infection or in people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms. Currently, all at-home COVID-19 antigen tests are FDA-authorized for repeat, or serial use.
This means people should use multiple tests over a certain time period, such as 2-3 days, especially when the people using the tests don’t have COVID-19 symptoms.
Today, the FDA is highlighting the continued need for repeat, or serial testing when people get a negative result with an at-home COVID-19 antigen test, including recommending additional testing over a longer period of time.”
The agency said its recommendation is based on the latest study results from patients with a likely omicron variant infection that repeat testing “increases the chances of an accurate result.”
“COVID-19 diagnostic testing remains a cornerstone of our nation’s fight against COVID-19. At-home COVID-19 antigen tests, while not perfect, provide a fast and convenient COVID-19 testing option,” the FDA said.
Repeat testing, the FDA said, is important because an antigen test may not detect the virus early in the infection. If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should repeat the test after 48 hours.
The FDA maintains a list of at-home tests it has authorized.
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August 12, 2022 at 01:35AM
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Was your at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 test negative? Do it again, FDA says - PennLive
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