Nov 17th, 2020
9 mins
To ensure a safe environment for employees, rapid testing (lateral testing) could assist in mitigating the potential for an outbreak of the disease in the workplace. With an increase in those asymptomatic, rapid testing will help pick up more cases, stop the spread of the virus. While testing through the NHS is free, people must first have the symptoms. In some cases, companies have opted to undertake private rapid testing to identify those positive and have they referred them for the PCR laboratory testing. The below considers testing types.
There are currently two types of Covid-19 tests available:
COVID-19 Antibody Tests establish if you have contracted COVID-19 previously and produced an immune response. It also looks for evidence of an immune response to COVID-19. This occurs in someone who has been exposed to the virus and has produced antibodies. This being a new virus there is much uncertainty of how long anti-bodies last and the levels of protection they provide.
COVID-19 Antigen Tests establish if you currently have COVID-19. It will detect the presence of COVID-19 genetic material. A positive result occurs in someone who currently has COVID-19.
There are two types of Antigen tests available:
- PCR Antigen Tests, which are Government approved, require taking a swab from the nose and throat of the patient and is able to be administered by a healthcare professional or the patient via a home test kit. The specimen is then analysed in a laboratory and results are available in 20-48 hours following the test. This is available from the NHS or private healthcare providers.
- Rapid Response ‘Point of Care’ or Lateral Antigen Tests, involve a healthcare professional taking a swab from the nose and throat of the patient. The specimen is mixed with a reagent at the point of care without the need to send the specimen to a laboratory for analysis and works like a pregnancy test with instant results. Used in the workplace this could provide results in 15-20 minutes. This is useful way for employers to establishing a preventative COVID-19 strategy. The University of Oxford and Public Health England are at the final stages of trialling rapid tests, the ones deployed in Liverpool have showed 99.6% accuracy. Over half a million rapid-turnaround lateral flow tests have been sent out by NHS Test and Trace to local public health leaders last week, signalling the next phase of the government’s plan to expand asymptomatic testing for COVID-19.
All test kits used are required to be CE-marked. The Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has released guidance in the form of a Target Product Profile: Point of Care SARS-CoV-2 detection tests. Target Product Profile (TPP) outlines the desired ‘profile’ or characteristics of a target product that is aimed at a particular disease. With regards to COVID-19 these product profiles have been developed to assist manufacturers to design and deliver tests that might be useful in support of the UK COVID-19 testing strategy. The (TPP) outlines ‘Desirable’ and ‘Acceptable’ levels of adherence relating to the scope, target design, performance, test procedure, operational and other characteristics.
We were recently asked by the membership to clarify what other companies are currently doing within our industry, we have received the following 5 responses:
- ‘We have a signed training pack, its basic COVID 19 symptoms and what the rules are in the workplace. We check everyone’s temperature as they enter the sites. We also have a Weekly team brief that reminds all colleagues of Covid19 symptoms and controls’
- ‘We ask them to get a test by the existing NHS provision, this is in line with Public Health England guidance. PHE also require a company to report if they get 2 or more cases in the workplace within 14 days. When we did actually report this event they advised us that they intend to raise this threshold to 5 days. They were not able to clarify at what point the 14 days actually starts so we have gone for the date the results were actually received by our employee’
- ‘We are following the NHS gov guidance reference testing. employees are asked to stay at home if they have any symptoms and get tested. We conduct a track and trace when symptoms are reported’
- ‘We have a partnership with BUPA have the facility to conduct antigen testing (swab) for non-symptomatic employees or if anyone shows COVD symptoms while on site, this includes contractors and visitors. We can post out test kits to home addresses or test on site. We also have the ability to test everyone on site if required. We receive results through a portal within 48 hrs’
- ‘We are encouraging colleagues to take their own tests if they show any symptoms or had to self-isolate – We have installed Thermal Imaging Cameras within the workplace to help detect anyone with a temperature’
Please let us know your thoughts on the subject of rapid/lateral testing by emailing simonbrentnall@bfff.co.uk
