What to Do After Taking an Antigen Swab Test?

An antigen swab test yields quick and accurate results, making it ideal for early diagnosis. Within three hours, you can know if you’re negative or need further confirmatory testing. However, although you can do it at home, do not be deceived by the apparent simplicity of this test. Failure to strictly follow the instructions from start to finish will yield inaccurate, unreliable or void results. Supposing that you’ve observed total compliance, here’s what you should know and expect after testing:

1.  First of all, properly dispose of your used swab and sample collection vial in the waste bag provided in the kit.

Antigen Swab Test

2.    Wash hands with soap and running water. Do this for at least 20 seconds.

3.  Set your timer to 30 minutes before reading the result. Leave the test kit undisturbed on a clean, flat surface. While a positive result may appear as early as 20 minutes, a negative result may appear after 30 minutes.

·      A positive result is determined by two lines, no matter how faint. This means that you are most likely a carrier of the virus. In this instance, self-isolation is imperative. Inform your close contacts of your result and follow local government guidelines to minimise the spread of infection to others.

·    A negative result is determined by just one coloured line appearing in the C (control line) region. However, this does not guarantee that you were never infected before the test. It simply means that you were not infected when you did the test. Furthermore, a negative result is not a license to skip basic health protocols like proper hand washing, wearing a face mask in crowded or enclosed places, and practising social distancing. 

·   Your result is void if no line appears in the C (control line) or the T (test line) regions for longer than 30 minutes. This usually points to having used a faulty test kit. In this case, secure another test kit from a travel clinic in Croydon and repeat the procedure.

4.   Report your test results to the NHS, whether positive, negative or void. To do this, you must give them the ID number or QR code under your result. Call 119 daily, from 7 in the morning to 11 at night. Still, reporting online is the fastest way.

For more accurate results, follow the instructions to the tee, as indicated on the test kit label. 

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