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In March 2020, the director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom, called for "test, test, test" to break the chains of transmission of the coronavirus.
It was essential
to know who was infected and who was not in order to stop its spread
.
A little more than two years later, the epidemiological situation is very different, and it is even the WHO itself that says that the end of the pandemic is beginning to appear.
In this time, some self-tests came into our lives that have been fundamental, and that have allowed each citizen at home to know if those symptoms they had were due to a simple cold or the coronavirus in just a few minutes.
At the gates of winter and a more than foreseeable increase in cases of
flu and Covid-19
, some new tests arrive at pharmacies
that, with the same simplicity as the others, will allow us to differentiate one virus from another
quickly.
As they are?
The new combined rapid tests work in a very similar way to the previous ones, those that only detected the coronavirus, but with the main novelty that
they are capable of telling us if we have type A flu, type B flu or Covid-19
.
Inside the box you will find a sample collection swab, a small plastic tube with the reagent liquid inside, the test device and instructions.
Is it important to know if it is influenza A or influenza B?
Initially, the treatment of both types of flu will be the same, but it is important to know what type it is.
Specifically
, influenza A is more harmful since it has a greater tendency to end up causing pneumonia
, so if the person who tests positive for this virus is a vulnerable person or one with chronic diseases, we will have to monitor its evolution more closely.
Step by Step
-Wash your hands with soap and water or disinfect them with hydroalcoholic gel.
-Insert the entire absorbent tip of the swab head into both nostrils, turning it and rubbing it thoroughly against the inner wall of each nostril.
-We will now insert the swab into the plastic tube containing the reagent, stirring so that the sample we have collected is well mixed with the liquid.
-Discard the swab, put the lid on the plastic tube and pour the number of drops indicated in the instructions into the existing well in the test device.
Depending on the test model we have, we must deposit the drops in one or two wells.
-After 15 minutes, we can check if the result is positive or not.
How do I interpret the results?
In this new modality of rapid antigen tests, the test devices will have up to three test lines that can give a positive result: one for influenza type A, another for influenza type B and another for Covid-19.
As in conventional tests,
line C (control) should always be marked in red
.
If this does not appear (or only one appears) the result will be invalid and the test will have to be repeated.
The result will be positive if, after fifteen minutes, the T line is marked on the line corresponding to influenza A, influenza B or Covid-19.
If the T line is slightly marked, is it considered positive?
Yes. The color intensity with which the T-line is marked can vary, ranging from a light tone to a deep color.
This is something that
will depend on the concentration of antigen detected in the sample
, but whether it is dark or light, it is always considered a positive result.
What do I do if I test positive?
In addition to following the existing protocol for each autonomous community and contacting your health center to treat symptoms, we must wear
a mask at all times to avoid infecting other people
and we will avoid contact with vulnerable people.
Can I test positive for the flu and Covid-19 at the same time?
Yes, although
it is not frequent, co-infection of both
respiratory viruses is possible.
We can take the test and test positive for influenza A or B and Covid-19.
This does not mean that we have twice as many symptoms or that the prognosis is worse, this will largely depend on our previous state of health and whether or not we have been vaccinated against any of the viruses.
Where can I buy them?
For a few days they have been
on sale in pharmacies throughout the country at a maximum price of 2.94 euros per
unit, although at the moment it is not an easy task to find them since most only have antigen tests. for coronavirus.
No prescription is needed for purchase.
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