Research shows several rapid antigen tests effective for omicron

At-home rapid antigen tests have been proved effective at detecting the omicron and delta SARS-CoV-2 variants, according to a study.

The new study conducted by National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and UMass Chan Medical School was released on Monday but yet to be published in a peer reviewed journal. Around 7,349 participants enrolled in the parent study, but 5,506 met the eligibility criteria for this study.

Out of the total 153 participants who were PCR tested, about 96 percent of those with omicron infections and 91 percent of those with delta infections tested positive on an antigen test within two days of their positive PCR result, The New York Times reported.

The aim of the study was to assess differences in performance of at-home antigen tests at detecting delta and omicron variants by calculating two factors: the probability of a positive result from an at-home antigen test compared with a PCR test and that of a participant testing positive with an at-home antigen test based on the number of days since the first positive PCR test.

It found that the at-home antigen tests were better at detecting omicron variant infections when compared to the delta variant within 48 hours of testing positive on a PCR test. The study added that the differences between variants were not statistically significant.

“This study adds to the body of evidence that says that Omicron can be detected with the home tests that we have,” molecular biologist at the UMass medical school and an author of the study Nathaniel Hafer told The Times.

This comes as there were significant doubts raised as the omicron variant led to a winter surge last year about whether at-home rapid antigen tests can detect the variant.

The FDA issued an advisory in December last year regarding rapid antigen tests and said “early data suggests that antigen tests do detect the omicron variant but may have reduced sensitivity.”