eerickson7

On the antigen vs. PCR, the antigen tests are much less sensitive, correct? So I would think it'd be far less likely to pick up an asymptomatic case in a vaccinated person, whereas a PCR test would detect that.

This (plus cost) is why I chose an antigen test to return to the US, but I'm not sure the correct answer here. You'd have to parse the false positive rate vs. the likelihood of a low-level infection by a vaccinated person being detected.

I'm also unsure what happens if you have a false positive antigen test and you take a confirmatory PCR test that turns up negative. Are you then free to fly home, or do you have to take multiple PCR test to make sure? I'm sure it depends on what country you're in.

Supposedly the antigen tests miss half the asymptomatic cases.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/heal...-pcr-1.4593448

Finkface

It seems one of the biggest issues is empty or spilled liquid reagents in the BinaxNow kits. I just looked it up and it seems the reagent is Sodium Azide(26628-22-8). Any chemists here who know if this is used in other similar tests or is it specific to the BinaxNow Covid test? Could one just substitute the reagent from an at-home (non-proctored) test kit or really any other test that uses a liquid reagent? It might be worth buying a couple of cheap at home tests just to have the extra bottle of reagent.

gnomey

lol I think it is going a little far if you are trying to tweak the protocol of the test kit here. at this point you might as well get tested at local site.

Finkface

Not that easy or cheap from Canada, at least the area of Canada that I am in, which is why I bring the Binax kits. Especially when you enter fairly often. If it is a standard reagent, I can just carry the at-home (non-proctored) Binax kit as a backup source of the reagent.

gnomey

I agree the advantage of this kit is its use in expensive countries like UK, Switzerland and Canada. I think reagent from same kit under same manufacturer is fine (proctored versus non proctored, assuming identical lateral flow test), but using a reagent from another manufacturer will be going too far.

gnomey

yes this is why many countries do not accept antigen test as entry requirement.

confirmatory test is always pcr. sometimes multiple rounds of pcr. and then you will be let go.

but if pcr also positive, then time to wake up and face reality instead of arguing one is false positive.

Annerk

My issue is the inconsistency. Why can I get on a plane and fly all over the US without a test. What makes it so much more dangerous to fly from far more vaccinated and lower rates overall Europe to a point in the US? Particularly some of the State where vaccination rates are low and new cases remain high?

tai4de2

Don’t give them any ideas.

Annerk

True.

LETTERBOY

Domestic political/legal issues. Don't want to say any more than that, as any discussion of that would be OT.

They already have these ideas (they've basically said as much publicly), but they almost certainly won't be able to actually implement them, due to the above mentioned political/legal issues.