An illustration of the omicron variant. Michelle Budge, Deseret Information
Conducting common COVID-19 assessments is an efficient method of decreasing transmission. Essentially the most handy are the fast at-home assessments, which may be taken wherever.
These self-tests detect an infection and produce a outcome inside minutes, in comparison with the laboratory-based assessments that take days, in accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
“Speedy antigen assessments stay efficient public well being instruments in detecting COVID-19 attributable to omicron,” Dr. Bobby Brooke Herrera, an assistant professor of world well being on the Rutgers World Well being Institute, instructed Verywell. “For essentially the most half, they don't seem to be impacted by the omicron mutations by way of detecting excessive virus load.”
Do at-home COVID assessments work in opposition to omicron?
Based mostly on preliminary knowledge, the Meals and Drug Administration has famous that whereas these assessments do detect the omicron variant, “they could have lowered sensitivity,” in accordance with NPR.
Even the CDC famous that a damaging at-home take a look at outcome doesn’t rule out an infection and suggested repeating the take a look at 24 to 48 hours later.
“A number of damaging assessments will increase the arrogance that you're not contaminated with the virus that causes COVID-19,” the CDC web site said.
When do you have to take a COVID-19 take a look at?
The CDC recommends three circumstances the place an at-home take a look at must be taken:
- If you happen to’re experiencing COVID-19 signs, take the take a look at instantly.
- If you happen to have been uncovered to somebody who examined optimistic for COVID-19, take the take a look at no less than 5 days after publicity. Contemplate testing a number of instances.
- Earlier than going to an indoor gathering, take a take a look at, particularly if these in attendance are immunocompromised, older adults or unvaccinated.
What are the highest omicron signs to look out for?
Essentially the most frequent omicron-related signs are:
- Cough.
- Fatigue.
- Congestion.
- Runny nostril.