VALLEY CITY, N.D. (CCHD) – The following is a news release from the City County Health District Office in Valley City.
“Our federal government is making COVID-19 rapid antigen at-home tests available free.
To order your household’s batch of four at-home rapid antigen tests, go to covidtests.gov, which explains that everyone with a residential address in the United States (as well as people living at overseas diplomatic and military outposts) is eligible to get the tests.
Many people are asking the question…”how much should I trust the results of a rapid antigen test for the coronavirus?” Researchers are working fast to figure out what’s going on and how to improve the tests.
The at home test (rapid antigen test) is not as sensitive as a PCR test. The City County Health District (CCHD) offers both PCR and rapid antigen testing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the old Rec Center across from the skateboard park between 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Results for a PCR test will be emailed or texted to you within 72 hours. You will receive rapid antigen test results within 2 hours of testing (usually they are received very quickly but at times a technology glitch has slowed them down).
How to use the tests we presently have for greatest accuracy? These antigen tests are most accurate when you are symptomatic. If you have a limited supply of tests, and if you have symptoms, you should assume that you are omicron/covid positive. Epidemiologists recommend waiting a day or two into the symptoms to use your test because people are becoming symptomatic a day or so before they are turning positive.
If you can, test serially. If you are symptomatic but negative on the first test wait a day, or two, then test again. If you are negative after two rapid tests, but still have symptoms, consider testing a third time with a rapid test or getting a PCR test if you can.
The at home tests are very accurate in identifying positive results, but may not pick up COVID as quickly as a PCR test, so may produce false negatives which would be picked up with the PCR test (thus the reason to do the serial antigen test). If you are positive, recognize that this is for real, and that you should isolate yourself.
It continues to be important that people get vaccinated against COVID-19. Michael Osterholm, University of Minnesota infectious disease specialist states that vaccination is a key part of our efforts to combat COVID-19, because we know that there is about a 20 fold lower risk of dying if you have been vaccinated versus not being vaccinated.
“The vaccines are effective and can lower your risk of getting and spreading the virus, and help prevent serious illness, long covid, and death,” states Theresa Will, administrator at the City County Health District. She encourages anyone who would like the vaccine or a booster to phone City County Health District at 845-8518 for an appointment.”