What is COVID-19 antigen test? What does COVID-19 antigen test mean?

Novel coronavirus antigen has four structural proteins, namely spike protein, envelope protein, membrane protein and nucleocapsid protein, and the protein detected by antigen is nucleocapsid protein, that is, N protein. The expression of nucleocapsid protein is relatively high, and it is more prone to mutation. After infection, COVID-19 has very active replication in the pharynx. At this time, detection of nucleocapsid protein can indirectly reflect whether COVID-19 is infected.

What are the application groups of antigen testing?

One is to see a doctor in a primary medical institution, such as a person with clinical symptoms and fever, and the symptoms are determined within 5 days. If the nucleic acid test is negative, you can continue to test the antigen at home for 5 days. Because of an infected person in COVID-19, one day in five days, the virus content is relatively high. If the continuity is negative, no intervention is needed.

The second type of personnel are isolated observers, including those who are isolated at home, those who are isolated from overseas entry, and those who are in close contact, sub-close contact and closed communities when the epidemic occurs. The antigen was detected for 5 consecutive days, and/kloc-0 was detected every day. If it is positive, it may be detected. If it is negative, no intervention is needed before the isolation is released for the last nucleic acid test.

The third kind of people are residents who want to be tested. If it is positive, do nucleic acid test as soon as possible, if it is negative, you can do antigen test at home if necessary. If you have obvious clinical symptoms, especially fever, loss of taste and smell, you must go to a fever clinic.