Health Matters by Dr Tim Allison: Testing times for all as most Covid rules are ended
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We have recently seen an ending of many of the Covid rules we have been living with for so long now.
For contacts of people with Covid infection it is now possible to come out of isolation if certain conditions are met, such as registering a negative PCR test.
No doubt contacts will welcome this, but it emphasises the continued presence of Covid in the community and the continued appearance of cases and contacts.
Covid vaccination has made a huge difference to the impact of the virus but even if we are vaccinated, you must remember we can still become infected and pass Covid to others.
Any prospect of eliminating Covid is a long way off.
Therefore, we need to maintain some measures such as face coverings and we need to keep practising good hygiene.
Testing for Covid also remains a vital tool for controlling the virus, but there is still some confusion and uncertainty about the different types of test that are used.
There are three main types of test for Covid: PCR tests; lateral flow tests; antibody tests.
PCR tests are the gold standard tests for detecting the Covid virus.
They work by identifying minute parts of the genetic material from the virus which is amplified in the laboratory.
This means that the test can pick up tiny traces of Covid virus and if the test is negative we can be pretty sure that there is no virus present.
Because the test is so good at detecting the tiniest fragment of virus, people who are infected may keep testing positive by PCR for several months and long after they cease being infectious.
PCR samples do need to be taken to a laboratory and it can take a couple of days to get the result back, but they are the most accurate tests and if you have symptoms you must have a PCR test.
You can book one through NHS Inform.
Lateral flow tests are quick and convenient and can be done at home with a result in 30 minutes, sometimes less.
They work in a different way from PCR tests, and they detect other parts of the virus.
The more virus is present then the more likely the test is to be positive.
This means that if someone has lots of virus and is more infectious, they are more likely to test positive on lateral flow.
However, it also means that someone can test negative on lateral flow but may still be infected and able to pass on the virus.
Lateral flow tests are good for regular checking for infection among people with no symptoms and can be ordered online or collected from many places including pharmacies.
If you test positive you should isolate and get a PCR test, but if you test negative there is a chance you could still have the virus.
Antibody tests detect our body’s response to the virus or vaccine.
Our immune response is not limited to antibodies and it is still unclear whether the level of antibodies does accurately predict our level of protection.
So, antibody testing is only used as part of research studies.
Understanding testing forms an important part of our continued efforts to reduce the threat from Covid.
Dr Tim Allison is director of pubic health with NHS Highland.
We should accept Covid has changed things
