The ``simultaneous test kit'', which allows you to check whether you are infected with the new coronavirus and influenza at the same time, has lifted the ban on general sales and can be purchased at pharmacies and online.
What is the latest availability of kits?
What are the precautions when using it?
Summarized in a Q&A format.
(* Updated with information as of January 17)
Q1. What is a “simultaneous test kit”?
I think that many people have used the antigen test kit for the new corona, but the "simultaneous test kit" can check for both the new corona and influenza in a single test.
With the spread of influenza in addition to the coronavirus, medical institutions around the world are calling for patients with a low risk of becoming seriously ill to consider using test kits at home in order to prevent fever outpatients and emergency outpatients from becoming overwhelmed. ' is being heard one after another.
In preparation for this situation, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has approved the general sale of simultaneous test kits, which were previously limited to use at medical institutions.
Currently, it is possible to sell at pharmacies where pharmacists are stationed, drugstores, and online.
Q2.What is the price?
What is the latest supply situation?
The price is set by each manufacturer, so it is not uniform, but it is sold for about 2500 to 3000 yen per kit.
Since the number of kits in one box differs depending on the manufacturer, the selling price is this price x the number of kits.
As with the antigen test kit for the new corona only, medical insurance does not apply, so you will have to pay the full amount yourself.
They are also not eligible for medical expense deductions.
Next is the latest supply situation.
After the ban on sales to the general public was lifted, only one company immediately started selling on the Internet.
In the first place, simultaneous test kits should not be in short supply to medical institutions, so it is premised that the supply to medical institutions should be prioritized over the supply for general sales.
Furthermore, when starting general sales, it takes time for each manufacturer to prepare instruction manuals and new packages that can be understood by the general public, unlike products for medical institutions. The issue was whether it would be possible to secure the supply of
Under these circumstances, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to allow medical test kits to be sold at pharmacies with full-time pharmacists without obtaining new approval for general sales, so that as many kits as possible can be marketed. As a special case, we have taken measures to allow
After that, each manufacturer's response has progressed further, and as of January 17, 5 companies' products meet the conditions for general sales, and 3 of them can be purchased at pharmacies, drug stores, and the Internet.
Q3.What should I pay attention to when purchasing?
If you search online to buy online, you will find a wide variety of products, but there are some things to keep in mind.
Among these, there are products that are written as "for research" on the package.
This "for research" kit is not approved for sale by the government, and its effectiveness has not been confirmed.
We cannot guarantee that the results of tests performed with kits labeled "for research" are correct, so they cannot be used for reporting to public health centers or online medical consultations.
Then, what is written on the thing approved by the country?
As you can see, there are labels such as "in vitro diagnostic drug" and "class 1 drug" on the package.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare calls attention to using products approved by these countries instead of using products labeled "for research".
In addition, the simultaneous test kit is part of a pharmaceutical product called "in-vitro diagnostic agent", just like the antigen test kit for the new corona.
Resale of pharmaceuticals is prohibited by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Law, so resale of surplus kits is prohibited.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is strengthening monitoring and guidance to prevent resale.
Q4.How to use the kit?
The specimen is taken from the nostril, just like the new corona test kit.
And depending on where the line comes out, you can see the "positive" and "negative" results for each of the corona and flu.
If you test positive for the new coronavirus, basically you will be registered with the "Health Follow-up Center" set up in each region and will be recuperated at home.
On the other hand, if the symptoms are severe, whether it is coronavirus or influenza, please consult a family doctor, and if the symptoms are mild, consider calling or online.
As a precaution, if the test is positive, the line produced by the kit may fade over time.
For this reason, take a picture of the kit with lines after the inspection with a smartphone and record it.
Q5. What is the infection status of influenza?
Experts are calling for thorough basic infection control as the simultaneous epidemic of corona and influenza is occurring.
According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the number of influenza patients reported from about 5,000 medical institutions nationwide in the week ending January 8 was 23,139, 2.37 times the previous week.
The number of patients per week per medical institution is 4.37, and the estimated number of patients nationwide is approximately 182,000.
The number of patients per medical institution (by prefecture) is as follows.
▼Okinawa Prefecture 17.77 people ▼Miyazaki Prefecture 12.37 people ▼Saga Prefecture 10.08 people.
These three prefectures have exceeded the "warning level" of 10 people, which is said to be likely to cause a major influenza epidemic within the next four weeks, and all three prefectures have issued influenza warnings.
In other regions, 9.62 in Fukuoka, 8.26 in Osaka, 7.39 in Ehime, and 7.11 in Nagasaki.
Professor Kazuhiro Tateda of Toho University, who is familiar with infectious diseases, said, ``The simultaneous epidemic of coronavirus and influenza, which was a concern, is occurring. I want you to take thorough infection control measures again."
Q6. What precautions should I take when using the kit at home?
We interviewed Dr. Akifumi Tokita, a member of the Public Health Committee of the Japan Pediatrician Association.
Dr. Tokita is also in charge of fever outpatient clinics in Minato Ward, Tokyo.
Point 1) Use it after 12 hours or more from fever
For both corona and influenza, even if you are infected immediately after a fever, there is a possibility that you will not be "positive" and become a "false negative".
Influenza, in particular, takes a long time to become positive after fever, so if you use the kit at home, you should wait about 12 hours or more after you have a fever before you take the test. so consult).
Dr. Tokita: “I understand the feeling of wanting to be tested right away because I have a sore throat and a fever. Even if the test result is negative, I would like people to rest at home instead of going to work, see how things go, and then take another test after a while."
Point 2) Do not cool the test kit too much
The storage temperature of the test kit is 2 degrees to 30 degrees.
If you store it in a refrigerator or use it in an unheated room in winter, the reaction may not proceed and it may become a "false negative".
Dr. Tokita: "It's a small detail, but temperature also has an effect. Conversely, if you use a test kit that you obtained in the middle of summer and left unattended, it may result in a false positive, so please use it properly."
Point 3) Collect samples from as far back as possible
At medical institutions, samples are collected by inserting a cotton swab into the nasopharynx, a place deep in the nose where many viruses are found. is to be taken from
For this reason, according to Dr. Tokita, the sensitivity is about 10% lower than when performed at a medical institution.
When testing at the tip of the nose, insert the cotton swab as far as possible within the range described in the package insert, rotate the swab firmly the specified number of times, and carefully collect the sample. I want it.
Point 4) Thoroughly dissolve the sample
After collecting the specimen, insert the cotton swab into the attached container containing the solution and dissolve it, but there is a point here as well.
It is important to swirl the cotton swab in the solution or rub it several times from the top of the container to dissolve it well.
Dr. Tokita: “It is recommended that you do things like pinching the container and turning the swab more than 10 times.
Point 5) Focus on the color of the result judgment line
Drop the solution containing the sample on the test kit, and a line will appear to determine whether it is positive or not.
The higher the amount of virus, the darker the line, but the important thing here is the "color".
If a color different from the positive color determined for each test kit appears, there is a possibility of a "false positive" reaction even though it is not positive.
Dr. Tokita: False positives may occur due to ingredients in the runny nose, and in such cases, for example, a pink line may appear, but a gray line may appear. If the line is too faint to judge, please consult a medical institution."
Summary: Home inspection is only a supplementary existence
In addition to the sampling method, sampling site, and timing of sampling, whether the fever is high, whether the vaccine has been administered, and the storage conditions of the kit all affect the test results.
Dr. Tokita emphasizes that even with the same simultaneous test kit, there is a difference in accuracy between testing at a medical institution and testing at home.
For this reason, it is important to use it only as a supplementary measure when the fever outpatient is urgent, and do not think that the test result is everything, especially if you have symptoms but it is negative, do not go out without worrying about the result. That's what I'm saying.
On top of that, it is said that it is important to read the attached document carefully and keep down the points of usage firmly so that you can get as close to the correct result as possible when using it at home.
Young children are especially susceptible to a variety of infections with similar symptoms, some of which can have serious consequences.
For this reason, it is important not to feel relieved even if corona or influenza is negative, and to see a family doctor directly if you have any uneasy symptoms.