Understanding the various tests being used to detect COVID-19
Corona viruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease, COVID-19. The virus that causes COVID-19 and the one that caused the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 are related to each other genetically, but the diseases they cause are quite different.
How testing is being done:
Two types of tests are being suggested for the detection of COVID-19:
· Antigen test: This detects the presence or absence in the body of the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease Covid-19.
· Antibody test: This primarily detects signs that someone has been infected in the past by searching for an immune response.
Since Chinese scientists in mid-January published the full genetic code of the virus — officially known as Sars-CoV-2— laboratories anywhere in the world have been able to use antigen testing to identify its genes in samples from patients. They use a procedure called Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) that has been standard practice in labs for the last 30 years.
PCR samples can come from several different sites in the patient. The simplest is the nasal swab taken from well inside the nose. The back of the throat is another option. For patients in hospital, a sample from the lower respiratory tract may give the best results. Antigen testing reveals whether someone has a current infection and could, therefore, pass Covid-19 infection on to others.
CONCLUSION
COVID-19, the newest pandemic that has affected hundreds of thousands of lives and killed thousands, has inevitably changed the course of life of an enormous number of individuals. There being no effective prevention measure for COVID-19, the only solution to save oneself from being infected is to stay at home and minimize contact with others.
The virus spreads easily from person to person, and treatment does not help in many cases. However, all possible measures are being taken by the leading organizations to find a viable solution and help the world return to a normal way of life. Not only serious healthcare issues but also economic and social implications have emerged due to the spread of the pandemic. Thus, it is of utmost importance to combat COVID-19 as soon as possible so that humanity could resume its living in a physically and mentally stable environment.
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