New at-home COVID-19 antigen testing guidance recommends repeat testing after a negative result. [Image courtesy of Abbott]
COVID-19 testing should be repeated following a negative result on any antigen test, the FDA said in a move that could increase demand for diagnostics manufacturers.The latest guidance from the federal health agency is for negative COVID-19 antigen test results regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. The federal agency said recent studies from people likely infected by the omicron variant shows repeat testing increases the chance of an accurate result, reducing the likelihood of spreading the virus.
“At-home COVID-19 antigen tests detect proteins, called antigens, from the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19,” the FDA said yesterday. “At-home COVID-19 antigen tests are less likely to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus than molecular tests, such as polym…