Covid-19: Rapid testing cuts cases in pilot but questions remain over use of lateral flow tests

Wise, Jacqui

doi:10.1136/bmj.n1741

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The control of COVID-19 through both home-based and lab-based testing has been a step- change in infection management globally, but ongoing uncertainties around the sensitivity of commonly used tests – including the temporal sensitivity profile – have sparked discussion around whether these tests are being used appropriately 1–3 . Using data from a human challenge study 4 we derive a model for test sensitivity over time since exposure for three test methods: rapid lateral flow tests (LFTs); laboratory-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) tests; and viable virus, measured by focus-forming assay (FFA).…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating LFT and qPCR test-sensitivity over time since infection from a human challenge study

Davis

Hollingsworth

2022

Preprint

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Testing has been central to global policy throughout the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Understanding how test sensitivity changes after exposure is crucial for the interpretation of test outcomes and the design of testing-based interventions. Using data from a human challenge study, we derive temporal test sensitivity profiles for lateral flow tests (LFT), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) tests and viable virus, measured by focus-forming assay (FFA). The median time to detectability was 2 days (throat swab) and 3 days (nasal) for qPCR and 4 days for LFT (both swabs), and there was strong positive correlation between first LFT positive and first FFA positive for both throat (p=0.00019) and nasal (p=0.00032) swabs, supporting the use of LFTs as a method of detecting infectiousness. Peak LFT sensitivity was 82.4% (67.0%-91.8%) for throat samples, occurring 6 days post-exposure and 93.3% (85.1%-98.0%) for nasal, 7 days post-exposure. These temporal profiles provide quantification of the mean behaviour of these tests and individual-based variability and could inform a framework for investigating future testing-based interventions.

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Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating LFT and qPCR test-sensitivity over time since infection from a human challenge study

Davis

Hollingsworth

2022

Preprint

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“…Additional compartmental epidemic modeling of even highly imperfect home-based rapid antigen testing indicates epidemiological and economic benefits of such nationwide programs [15]. A previous community testing pilot in Liverpool (UK) started in November 2020, and was associated with declining cases, but the precise impact alongside other parallel measures is under discussion [16][17][18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Free PoC Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Germany: Factors Expanding Access to Various Communities in a Medium-Sized City

Witte

Grosch

Conrady

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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During the third wave of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic in Germany, free SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) point-of-care (PoC) antigen tests were offered to citizens at least once a week to prevent spreading by asymptomatic infected individuals. This study investigated user groups, timing, frequency, and test center locations in a typical medium-sized European city. We analyzed 27,369 pseudonymized datasets from eight centers over 12 weeks. Those were evaluated according to age, residence, appointment, and potential repeated test occurrence. The centers were visited by different groups; some centers were preferred by a predominantly younger demographic, whereas a mobile option attracted an older age group by reaching districts with few other testing possibilities. Elderly individuals were tested more spontaneously than younger individuals, and a test center at a ‘park and ride’ had more spontaneous visitors from outside of the city compared to other test locations. Only a small proportion of less than 4% came for testing more than five times. To preferably address many people for voluntary antigen testing, it is crucial to offer different test opportunities accounting for individual behavioral patterns, despite this requiring more complex and costly design than conventional forms.

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“…This is a dismal picture of an embattled workforce propping up a collapsing service (doi:10.1136/bmj.q368). 10 A better integrated and appropriately resourced service would be more adept at implementing new evidence on the value of exercise to people with depression (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-07584 doi:10.1136/bmj.q320) 11 12 ; managing the complex drivers and clinical effects of frailty (doi:10.1136/bmj.q348 doi:10.1136/bmj.q116) 13 14 ; supporting cognitive dysfunction after covid-19 (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075387) 15 ; responding to the underlying causes of a rise in measles cases (doi:10.1136/bmj.q359) 16 ; and optimising our response to the risks of diabetes and liver disease (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-076388 doi:10.1136/bmj.q309), 17 18 the high burden of anticholinergic medication (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075708), 19 and the safe prescription of thiazide diuretics (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075174). 20 The idea of one service across public health, community care, and hospital care is easily described but devilishly difficult to implement.…”

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confidence: 99%

Women and medicine: exploited as staff and as patients

Abbasi

2024

BMJ

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Covid-19: Rapid testing cuts cases in pilot but questions remain over use of lateral flow tests

Cited by 7 publications

References 2 publications

Estimating LFT and qPCR test-sensitivity over time since infection from a human challenge study

Estimating LFT and qPCR test-sensitivity over time since infection from a human challenge study

Free PoC Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Germany: Factors Expanding Access to Various Communities in a Medium-Sized City

Women and medicine: exploited as staff and as patients

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