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How do controls on antigen COVID tests work? (edit)
Revision as of 08:04, 4 May 2022
, 08:04, 4 May 2022create page
{{Project Infobox|Self researchers=Paulina Ejsmont, Maira Goytia, Tim Dobbs, Yann Huon de Kermadec, User:Gedankenstuecke|Related tools=COVID tests}}
There are a large number of different rapid [[COVID tests]], both for professionals but also for self-testing at home. Beyond the actual test indicator, these tests also contain a ''control'' indicator that should appear regardless of whether COVID was detected or not. During the [[2022-04-28 Self-Research Chat|self-research chat on April 28]] the question of how these controls work came up: Do they indicate that the person taking the test did correctly swab their nose to take a sample? Or do they only indicate that the test itself was correctly loaded and that liquid is present?
To solve this question we did a small experiment using a regular COVID test for home-use.
==Experiment #1: Loading the test with only the provided buffer liquid==
[[File:Covid-test-buffer-only.jpg|alt=A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with buffer liquid. The control line appears.|thumb|A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with buffer liquid. The control line appears.]]
If the control on the rapid COVID test were to identify that the user correctly swabbed their nose, it should detect some molecules that are universally present in the human nose. Conversely, in this case the control line should not appear if the test is ''only'' loaded with the buffer liquid that is part of the test kit without having performed any swabbing.
To test this, we loaded a antigen COVID test using only the buffer liquid without performing any swabbing. Within a few seconds after loading the test the ''control'' line appeared.
==='''Result'''===
The control line that appears on a rapid COVID test '''does not''' indicate that one has correctly taken a sample, it '''only indicates that one loaded the test correctly.'''
{{Project Queries}}
[[Category:Projects]]
There are a large number of different rapid [[COVID tests]], both for professionals but also for self-testing at home. Beyond the actual test indicator, these tests also contain a ''control'' indicator that should appear regardless of whether COVID was detected or not. During the [[2022-04-28 Self-Research Chat|self-research chat on April 28]] the question of how these controls work came up: Do they indicate that the person taking the test did correctly swab their nose to take a sample? Or do they only indicate that the test itself was correctly loaded and that liquid is present?
To solve this question we did a small experiment using a regular COVID test for home-use.
==Experiment #1: Loading the test with only the provided buffer liquid==
[[File:Covid-test-buffer-only.jpg|alt=A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with buffer liquid. The control line appears.|thumb|A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with buffer liquid. The control line appears.]]
If the control on the rapid COVID test were to identify that the user correctly swabbed their nose, it should detect some molecules that are universally present in the human nose. Conversely, in this case the control line should not appear if the test is ''only'' loaded with the buffer liquid that is part of the test kit without having performed any swabbing.
To test this, we loaded a antigen COVID test using only the buffer liquid without performing any swabbing. Within a few seconds after loading the test the ''control'' line appeared.
==='''Result'''===
The control line that appears on a rapid COVID test '''does not''' indicate that one has correctly taken a sample, it '''only indicates that one loaded the test correctly.'''
{{Project Queries}}
[[Category:Projects]]