This article lists the effectiveness of rapid antigen tests. Antigen tests detect proteins, while PCR test identifies molecules or strands of nucleotides.
The benefit of antigen tests is that they can be done at home and have the results in minutes.
Not all tests are 100% accurate in detecting viruses’ true presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2. Any test on the market is compared to a known reference before they approved by the FDA. The results of that comparison are called specificity and sensitivity.
Sensitivity and Specificity
Sensitivity means true positivity, while specificity means true negative. During my undergraduate years, I remembered that N from sensitivity is P (positive). And P (specificity) is N (negative). N is positive, P is negative, or P⇒N and N⇒P.
Here is an example of a sensitivity interpretation. If 100 people with the virus get tested with a rapid antigen test with a sensitivity of 98%. Ninety-eight of them will have an actual positive test (they have the virus, and it was detected), and two will have a false negative test (they have the virus, but the test did not catch it).
Tests are more accurate if one has symptoms.
Rapid antigen tests are more accurate if someone has symptoms, and that is why some results in the list below have the word symptomatic.
If someone has no symptoms, the test won’t be as reliable.
The list below is from the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University. The names of the tests are linked to the product information and instructions to use. All of them have FDA emergency use authorization.
I only included the tests you can do at home, like rapid antigen test, and the home collection requires that you submit the specimen. The list is copied and pasted to save time and is not alphabetical. I grouped the lateral flow assays at the bottom.
This list is updated twice weekly by the Center for Health Security.
| Name of Test | Manufacturer | Type of test | Sensitivity | Specificity |
|---|
| BD Veritor System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 | Becton, Dickinson, and Company (BD) | Rapid Antigen Test | 84% (symptomatic) | 100% (symptomatic) |
| HealthPulse@home | Audere | Home collection | N/A | N/A |
| CareStart COVID-19 Antigen test | Access Bio, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 93.8% (NP), 87.2% (nasal) | 99.3% (NP), 100% (nasal) |
| VITROS Immunodiagnostic Products SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Reagent Pack | OrthoClinical Diagnostics | Rapid Antigen Test | 80.00% | 100% |
| Let’s Get Checked Coronavirus (COVID-19) Test | PrivaPath Diagnostics, Inc. | Home collection | N/A | N/A |
| PKamp Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Panel 1 | PerkinElmer, Inc. | rRT-PCR | 100.0% | 100.00% |
| CovidNow SARS-CoV-2 Assay | LMSI, LLC (dba Lighthouse Lab Services) | rRT-PCR | 96.0% | 100.00% |
| Name of Test | Manufacturer | Type of test | Sensitivity | Specificity |
|---|
| GenBody COVID-19 Ag | GenBody Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 91.10% | 100% |
| WREN Laboratories COVID-19 Saliva Test Collection Kit DTC | WREN Laboratories LLC | Home collection | N/A | N/A |
| InteliSwab COVID-19 Rapid Test Rx | OraSure Technologies, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 84.0% | 98.0% |
| InteliSwab COVID-19 Rapid Test | OraSure Technologies, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 84.0% | 98.0% |
| InteliSwab COVID-19 Rapid Test Pro | OraSure Technologies, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 84.0% | 98.0% |
| Sienna-Clarity COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test Cassette | Salofa Oy | Rapid Antigen Test | 87.5% | 98.9% |
| SCoV-2 Ag Detect Rapid Test | InBios International, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 86.6% | 100% |
| BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card | Abbott Diagnostics Scarborough, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 84.6% | 98.5% |
| Celltrion DiaTrust COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test | Celltrion USA, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 93.3% | 99.0% |
| Omnia SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test | Qorvo Biotechnologies, LLC. | Rapid Antigen Test | 90% | 100% |
| Name of Test | Manufacturer | Type of test | Sensitivity | Specificity |
|---|
| Sofia SARS Antigen FIA | Quidel Corporation | Rapid Antigen Test | 97% | 100% |
| QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test | Quidel Corporation | Rapid Antigen Test | 83.50% | 99.20% |
| BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test | Abbott Diagnostics Scarborough, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 91.7% (symptomatic) | 100% (symptomatic) |
| BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card 2 Home Test | Abbott Diagnostics Scarborough, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 91.7% (symptomatic) | 100% (symptomatic) |
| BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag 2 Card | Abbott Diagnostics Scarborough, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 84.6% (symptomatic) | 98.5% (symptomatic) |
| BD Veritor System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 & Flu A+B | Becton, Dickinson, and Company | Rapid Antigen Test | 87.6% (SARS-CoV-2) 100% (Flu A+B) |
99.5% (SARS-CoV-2) 100% (Flu A+B) |
| QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test | Quidel Corporation | Rapid Antigen Test | 84.8% | 99.1% |
| Status COVID-19/Flu | Princeton BioMeditech Corp. | Rapid Antigen Test | 93.9% (SARS-CoV-2) 100% (Flu A) 100% (Flu B) |
100% (SARS-CoV-2) 100% (Flu A) 100% (Flu B) |
| Name of Test | Manufacturer | Type of test | Sensitivity | Specificity |
|---|
| Sampinute COVID-19 Antigen MIA | Celltrion USA, Inc. | Rapid Antigen Test | 94.4% | 100.0% |
| Sofia 2 Flu + SARS Antigen FIA | Quidel Corporation | Rapid Antigen Test | 95.2% (SARS-CoV-2) 94.8% (Flu A) 78.5-90% (Flu B) |
100% (SARS-CoV-2) 97-100% (Flu A) 100% (Flu B) |
| SDNA-1000 Saliva Collection Device | Spectrum Solutions LLC | Home collection | N/A | N/A |
| LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test | LumiraDx UK Ltd. | Rapid Antigen Test | 97.6% | 96.6% |
| Quest Diagnostics PF SARS-CoV-2 Assay | Quest Diagnostics | Home collection | N/A | N/A |
| Quest Diagnostics HA SARS-CoV-2 Assay | Quest Diagnostics | Home collection | N/A | N/A |
| Name of Test | Manufacturer | Type of test | Sensitivity | Specificity |
|---|
| Nano-Check COVID-19 Antigen Test | Nano-Ditech Corp. | lateral flow immunoassay | 90.32% | 100% |
| SCoV-2 Ag Detect Rapid Self-Test | InBios International Inc. | lateral flow immunoassay | 85.7% | 100.0% |
| iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test | iHealth Labs, Inc. | lateral flow immunoassay | 94.3% | 98.10% |
| Celltrion DiaTrust COVID-19 Ag Home Test | Celltrion USA, Inc. | lateral flow immunoassay | 86.7% | 99.80% |
| SPERA COVID-19 Ag Test | Xtrava Health | lateral flow immunoassay | 91.8% | 96.90% |
| NIDS COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test Kit | ANP Technologies, Inc | lateral flow immunoassay | 95.1% | 97.00% |
| INDICAID COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test | PHASE Scientific International, Ltd. | lateral flow immunoassay | 84.4% | 96.3% |
| CareStart COVID-19 Antigen Home Test | Access Bio, Inc. | rapid lateral flow immunoassay | 87.0% | 98.0% |
My take on the subject of rapid antigen testing
These tests can be bought over the counter or online without needing a prescription. It is good to have something at home in case you need it. However, the signs of COVID-19 are similar to other viral respiratory infections like the flu, which is now common.
I have heard that some people without symptoms test themselves out of curiosity and then go to an emergency room if positive, even if they have mild or symptoms.
What happens next is that they will sit in the waiting room for several hours because their vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen level) are within normal, and they will be exposed to other sick people and get their germs. It is not first-come, first-served in those places. Sicker people are seen earlier. There’s no changing that.
After several hours of waiting, the person who will see them will do the SARS-CoV-2 and influenza and then more waiting. If positive, don’t expect the doctor, PA, or nurse practitioner to prescribe Ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine. I asked an ER doctor what he recommends if people are positive for COVID, and he just shrugged his shoulders.
What is better is to optimize the immune system by taking nutraceuticals that are effective against COVID and other viral infections.
- Aspirin for the early treatment of COVID-19
- Nigella Sativa or Black Seed, Black Cumin for COVID-19
- The anti-COVID-19 properties of Quercetin
- Echinacea for the Prevention and Treatment of Viral Respiratory Infections and COVID-19
- Curcumin for the Early Treatment of COVID-19
- What makes Ivermectin a kick-ass antiviral?
- The anti-COVID-19 properties of Quercetin
- Melatonin’s Multiple Actions Against COVID-19
- Nasal Povidone-Iodine Works Great for the Prevention and Early Treatment of COVID-19!
- Vitamin C and COVID-19
- Zinc Deficiency Impairs the Immune System
- Adequate Vitamin D Prevents Severe COVID-19
If I develop symptoms, I will start nasal rinsing or gargling. The proper way to rinse the inside of the nose is discussed at Nasal rinse, and deep gargle stops viral respiratory infections in their tracts.
Don’t forget to call your doctor if you develop symptoms.
More important is to get a baseline oxygen level using a pulse oximeter like the one below.
If the oxygen level starts to drop then, it’s time to say hi to your ER doctor.
Positive symptoms but negative test
If someone has symptoms and the test is negative, you can repeat it the next day or schedule a PCR with a pharmacy like CVS or Rite Aid.
The Omicron variant is very infectious but has a mild disease.
Multinational study shows why the Omicron variant has low fatality and high infectivity
Higher number of COVID-19 cases but no change in death rates. The South African omicron experience
Even the fully vaccinated can get them. Omicron outbreak in triple jabbed health care workers
Even though neutralizing antibodies from previous vaccinations and infections may not work, the T-cells prevent severe disease.
People who recovered from COVID-19 have effective T-cells against the Omicron.
The good thing about it is it elicits antibodies against several variants. Omicron infections elicit neutralizing antibodies against variants of concern
Some people can still get hospitalized with the Omicron, but it is a different population this time.
Who gets hospitalized during an omicron wave?
I hope this article is helpful to you. Feel free to share and subscribe.
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Reference: Center for Health Security
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DrJesseSantiano.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment
Great info, once again!
Can you discuss the latest / most definitive info, data on the whole masking issue?
Thanks, Mike!