Covid-19 testing in practice

RE: Covid-19 testing in practice

Alastair Welch — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 21:20:24 GMT

We had a number of (symptomatic) staff test positive (PCR). Aware that there was a strong possibility that there would be others who were either pre-symptomatic or genuinely asymptomatic we offered (obviously no compulsion) LFT to anyone who wanted one. I was not personally involved with either the purchase or administration of them as I am an ambulatory vet and was avoiding coming into the practice but one VS in full PPE did everyone who wanted one in one of large equine exam rooms with large double doors open. We paid about £20 per test. We did pick up a number (I want to say 3 or 4) of positives that went on to be positive on PCR. We will never know whether getting those who were positive on LFT out of the practice has helped but I doubt that it made things worse. I think we did it on three occasions 3-4 days apart.

RE: Covid-19 testing in practice

carina palmer — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:57:22 GMT

Thanks Micheal that is cheaper than I expected.

RE: Covid-19 testing in practice

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:04:50 GMT

https://www.spservices.co.uk/item/RocheSARS-CoV-2Covid-19RapidAntigenTestx25_256_0_6908_1.html

~£8.50 per test so not cheap if you're paying......

RE: Covid-19 testing in practice

carina palmer — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:48:25 GMT

Hi Alastair,are you doing the LFT in house and how frequently are you testing staff.I see the government are talking about supplying these tests to businesses that need to be open in the lockdown but I have heard no more.Where are you getting your tests from? We are only a small practice and haven’t had any Covid cases that we are aware of . My staff have tested negative on the antibody tests but I would be interested in regular Lateral flow tests.

Thanks

RE: Covid-19 testing in practice

Alastair Welch — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:26:56 GMT

We have used it.

The sensitivity is on the low side (various tests report between 50 and 75% ish), so it will miss a fair chunk of positive cases, but the specificity is high (if it comes back positive then you are very likely positive). When used in a disease outbreak with relatively low prevalence (such as Covid 19 in the UK) it will pick up some of the asymptomatic cases and break some chains of transmission, and for me enough to make it worthwhile. The higher the viral load (and therefore the more likely you are to be infectious) the more likely you are to test positive on a LFT. We had a number of colleagues who tested positive on LFT (and were asymptomatic ) and subsequently went home and were positive on PCR. If resources were limitless we would test everyone everyday. It would not catch every case but it would hook out enough to thin out cases over time. We must not let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

RE: Covid-19 testing in practice

Rob Loxley — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:08:07 GMT

From what I’ve seen the sensitivity in asymptotic cases is poor?