LIHU’E — Recent state-wide news reports suggest COVID-19 numbers will surge because of the addition of rapid antigen results. But according to Kaua’i District Health officer Janet Berreman, this will not affect Kauai’s numbers.
The Hawai’i Department of Health recently announced their intention to include results from antigen testing in addition to PCR testing in their report data.
Before this, the COVID-19 report used PCR testing results only, described as a molecular test that detects genetic material of the virus with active cases, according to an article from the U.S Food and Drug Administration. Results from this test can take anywhere from one day up to a week and are highly accurate.
The FDA also reports that the antigen test detects specific proteins on the surface of the virus and thus can diagnose an active COVID-19 infection in one hour or less, but can produce a false negative result, often requiring re-testing.
With COVID-19 infections surging state-wide, the antigen test will accelerate the timely return of positive Coronavirus test results.
“Reporting probable cases is something that about half of the states nationwide are doing,” Berreman said. “Methods of testing for COVID-19 are in the process of being developed and approved rapidly, and as we learn more about new methodologies, it is appropriate for us to incorporate those methodologies into our reporting.”
“Kaua’i has not made extensive use of antigen testing to date,” Berreman said. “Our case numbers are low enough, and our testing capacity was adequate to use the more sensitive PCR testing.”
Berreman does expect this trend to change but was adamant about it not impacting Kaua’i’s COVID-19 numbers.
“Antigen testing is faster and easier, and I anticipate we will make more use of this in the coming weeks and months,” Berreman said.
A third kind of test, the antibody test, detects the body’s response to a COVID-19 infection and gives information about whether the individual in the past was infected — it does not diagnose currently active disease. It is not known if a person can fight off being infected again or how long those antibodies last.
With COVID-19 testing methods rapidly changing at the federal, state and county levels, Berreman anticipates more of the same in the future.
“The testing methods and availability are changing and developing rapidly, and we can anticipate more changes going forward,” Berreman said. “We all need to be prepared to use different testing methods, and to hear reports of cases detected in a variety of means. This is one of the challenging features of managing a pandemic with a new virus. The fact that we are adapting and using new methods is an indication of our incorporating new knowledge and new resources into our efforts to control the pandemic in our state.”
•••
Jason Blasco, reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or jblasco@thegardenisland.com.
Makes sense, now you can count “probable causes” with no idea if or when that person may have been infected. Whatever you gotta do to keep those numbers going up. You should not get tested if you have no symptoms. There are many cases of false positives. You and your contacts will be forced to quarantine for 2 weeks. There is absolutely no case to be made to take these tests if your not sick.