Let's see how to know if an antigen test is positive or negative and how to rule out false positives or inconsistent tests. And it is that with the coronavirus pandemic Antigen tests have arrived, a method to know if a person has the COVID-19 in the body and must be quarantined or not, and the purchase of this type of test in pharmacies has become very common, so antigen tests occur at all hours without the need to go to a health center, as long as the person is in powers to do so. But,how to know if a test is positive or negative? ¿How to detect false positives or inconsistent tests? Below we offer you all the answers so that you have no doubts about antigen tests.
Antigen test: positive or negative?
Index of contents
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How to know if a test is negative
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How to know if a test is positive
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How to know if a test is incongruent
An antigen test is positive or negative depending on the stripes shown after the test. To perform the test correctly you must follow some very specific steps that we detail in our complete tutorial to do antigen tests. After the test you will have to wait 10 to 15 minutes to verify the results.
How to know if a test is negative
If after performing the antigen test it appears a line next to section C (Control) and no line in section T (Test), means the result is negative. In this case, the person does not have SARS-CoV-2 in the body and does not have to follow any measures against COVID-19.
How to know if a test is positive
If after performing the antigen test two lines appear, one next to the section C (Control) and another next to the section T (Test), means that the result is positive. In this case, the person has SARS-CoV-2 in the body, so they will have to follow the measures established at the time of the positive test according to the Ministry of Health.
How to know if a test is incongruent
Now, it is possible that the test does not offer either of the two previous results, so it must be determined as inconsistent or invalid. The possibilities are several, from the absence of any lines after waiting the required 15 minutes to the presence of a line only in section T (Test). In these cases, another test must be performed until a positive or negative result is obtained.
There is also the possibility that a almost imperceptible line in the T (Test) section with a normal stripe in C (Control). In this case, it means that the person barely has any records of coronavirus in the body with a minimum viral load. Even so, it continues to be considered positive for all purposes and must follow the appropriate prevention measures.
Now you know how to determine if an antigen test is positive, negative or incongruent.
