Pack of 7 COVID-19 Self-Test Rapid Antigen Tests (lateral flow tests), made in China by Xiamen Biotime Biotechnology Co. Ltd. for Department of Health and Social Care, London, UK, 2021. This pack was distributed by West Sussex County Council to Haywards Heath Library visitors, April 2021.
On 9 April 2021, lateral flow tests became available in the UK for regular asymptomatic COVID-19 testing. The government advised people to test twice a week and made the tests freely available to order online or collect from places like pharmacies or libraries. Unlike polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, lateral flow tests do not need to be sent to a laboratory and produce a result in around half an hour. As scientists expected, lateral flow tests are less sensitive than PCR tests. However, lateral flow tests tend to detect COVID-19 when the disease is at its most infections. Government guidelines have required that people follow up a positive lateral flow test with a PCR test to confirm.
Data from the Office of National Statistics has shown that around a third of people who tested positive for COVID-19 in September 2021, for example, reported no symptoms. This highlights how important the regular testing of asymptomatic people with lateral flow tests is.
Details
- Category:
- Public Health & Hygiene
- Object Number:
- 2022-285
- Materials:
- paper (fibre product) and plastic (unidentified)
- Measurements:
-
overall: 162 mm x 195 mm x 30 mm,
- type:
- antigen test
