Basic Requirements and Procedures of COVID-19 Antigen Self-test What is COVID-19 Antigen Test?

Basic requirements and operation flow of antigen self-test

First, the basic requirements of COVID-19 antigen self-test.

fundamental principle

COVID-19 antigen self-test is suitable for isolating observers and community residents. Among them, people who live in isolation, close contact and sub-close contact, enter quarantine observation, and close control areas and control areas shall conduct antigen self-test under the organization and management of relevant administrative departments.

Self-test description

Antigen testing is generally used for sample testing in acute infection period, that is, within 7 days after symptoms appear in suspected population. The positive and negative results of suspicious people should be further tested for nucleic acid. The positive result can be used for early triage and rapid management of suspected population, but it cannot be used as a basis for diagnosing COVID-19 infection. The selected antigen detection reagent must be approved by National Medical Products Administration.

Second, the antigen self-test operation process

Preparation before antigen self-test

1. Hand washing: Wash your hands with running water or hand disinfectant.

2. Understand the detection process: read carefully the supporting instructions of antigen self-test reagents and the precautions related to antigen self-test.

3. Reagent preparation: check whether the antigen self-test reagent is within the shelf life, and check whether the contents such as nose swab, sampling tube and test card are missing or damaged. If the reagent expires or the contents of the reagent are lost or damaged, the detection reagent should be replaced in time.

4. Confirm the requirements for environmental temperature and humidity: Colloidal gold test paper is generally required to be tested at room temperature of 14℃-30℃ to avoid abnormal test results caused by too cold, too hot or too wet environment. The antigen test card is unpacked and placed in a flat and clean place.

Sample collection

1 and 14 years old or older can take nasal swab samples by themselves.

The self-inspector blows his nose with toilet paper first.

Carefully open the outer package of the nasal swab to avoid hand contact with the swab head.

Then tilt your head slightly, hold a cotton swab at the tail of one hand and stick it on one nostril, then slowly penetrate back to 1- 1.5cm along the bottom of the inferior nasal passage, then stick it on the nasal cavity and rotate it for at least 4 times.

Then repeat the same operation on the other nasal cavity with the same cotton swab.

2, age 2- 14 years old self-study exam should be attended by other adults.

When sampling, first blow your nose with toilet paper and then tilt your head slightly.

The sampling personnel carefully unpack the outer package of the nasal swab to avoid touching the swab head with their hands. One hand gently holds the head of the person being collected, and the other hand sticks the swab to one nostril, slowly seeps back to 1cm along the bottom of the lower nasal passage, and then sticks it to the nasal cavity and rotates it for at least 4 times.

Then repeat the same operation on the other nasal cavity with the same cotton swab.

Antigen test

1, according to the reagent instructions, put the nasal swab into the sampling tube immediately after collecting the sample, rotate the swab head in the preservation solution for at least 30 seconds, and squeeze the swab head through the outer wall of the sampling tube for at least 5 times by hand to ensure that the sample is fully eluted in the sampling tube.

2. Squeeze the liquid at the tip of the cotton swab through the outer wall of the sampling tube by hand, and then discard the cotton swab. After covering the sampling tube, drop the liquid vertically into the sample hole of the detection card.

3, according to the reagent instructions, wait for a certain period of time to interpret the results.

Positive results: both "C" and "T" show red or purple bands, and the color of the bands at "T" can be dark or light, which are all positive results.

Negative result: red or purple bands are displayed at "C", but no bands are displayed at "T".

Invalid result: Red or purple stripes are not displayed at "C" regardless of whether stripes are displayed at "T". The result is invalid, so you need to take the test paper again.

waste disposal

1. Isolate the observer.

No matter whether the test result is negative or positive, all sampling cotton swabs, sampling tubes and test cards are used. It should be packed in sealed bags, and medical wastes should be checked by management personnel or treated according to procedures.

2. Community residents.

If the test result is negative, all used nasal swabs, sampling tubes, test cards, etc. Packed in sealed bags and treated as general garbage; If the test result is positive, it shall be handed over to medical institutions for medical waste treatment when transporting personnel.