SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A/B, the predominant types of flu to spread each year with its peak around December to February, are both spread via respiratory droplets. The dynamics of how a co-infection by the two viral pathogens could influence the disease course in people is unclear. A report published in Science explains that the flu season in the Southern Hemisphere, which typically occurs in March, was unprecedented this year with only a few cases, compared to hundreds of cases during the same period in previous years. This sharp decline could be attributed to the additional public health …
Rapid Antigen Test Card and asymptomatic diagnosis
In a new wave of technology development, a rapid antigen test that reads results directly from a single card received emergency use authorization from the FDA this week. Unlike other diagnostic tests, BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card does not require RT-PCR technology or a machine to read. To perform the test, a nasal swab specimen is collected from the patient and inserted into a well on a test card. Extraction reagent from a dropper bottle is added to the well and results can be interpreted visually at 15 minutes based on the presence or absence of pink/purple colored lines. Results can then be …
Developments in Rapid Testing
As businesses, schools, and workplaces continue to reopen, rapid testing is a pressing need in order to effectively control the spread of COVID-19 and cut chains of transmission. The average wait time for test results in Texas is 4 days and a recent nation-wide survey shows that nearly 40% of Americans have to wait more than 3 days for results, undermining public health measures. Bottlenecks in testing accessibility and scalability can be caused by diagnostic assay costs, complexity of test, and supply chain shortages. In order to overcome these issues, researchers at Yale School of Public …