Dr. Dan Brennan: What You Need to Know About the COVID-19 Test | Your Health

Test, test, test.

It is in our heart. We are all wondering how testing can help Coronavirus / COVID-19 crisis.

There are two types of COVID-19 tests you need to know. Nasal swab and antibody blood test.

Nasal swab test

The nasal swab test can determine if you are currently infected with COVID-19.

The COVID-19 nasal swab test procedure requires that the swab be pushed all the way into the nasal cavity.

For those who have experienced the discomfort of a cotton swab pierced deep into the nasal cavity, your respiratory secretions have been tested for the presence of the COVID-19 virus.

A positive nasal swab test indicates that you are infected with COVID-19. A negative test is for you Perhaps It is not infected with COVID-19.

Unfortunately, some nasal swab tests have a false negative rate of up to 30%. This means that many people who test “negative” for COVID-19 may actually have the disease.

Antibody blood test

A blood test for antibodies can determine if you are already infected with COVID-19.

This is called an “antibody” or “serologic” test, which tests whether the immune system is producing certain IgM and IgG antibodies.

A positive antibody test indicates that you are immune to COVID-19. A negative antibody test indicates that you are not immunized against COVID-19 because you are not infected or your immune system has not increased immunity.

First generation antibody testing has just been introduced. Understanding the reliability of these tests takes time.

What is an antibody?

Antibodies are proteins made by your body to fight off bacteria.

About IgM

IgM, also known as immunoglobulin M, is an antibody produced by the immune system when the body is first exposed to bacteria. IgM levels rise briefly. These levels begin to drop as the body produces secondary antibodies called IgG.

What is IgG

IgG, also called immunoglobulin G, is an antibody that provides long-term protection.

First generation antibody test kit.

IgG antibodies protect the previously exposed bacteria from infection by “remembering” them. There is an IgG antibody to a particular bacterium, and the immune system knows that if it is re-exposed, it will attack it.

Doctors can test IgG to see if it is infected with a particular virus.

Not all immune systems are the same. Some people infected with COVID-19 produce a strong immune response and produce IgG antibodies, while others do not.

What are the benefits of testing?

Doctors have access to reliable, real-time tests for diagnosing and treating patients.

Test required public health Authorities to determine the extent of the disease throughout the community. Antibody tests can identify people who are already infected and who have immunity to COVID-19. What was accomplished in a few weeks is just a miracle of medical care.

What are some limitations of the test?

We want to break away from isolation, but we are not there yet. Even after extensive testing, you need to be patient.

I don’t know how accurate a first generation antibody test is. I don’t know how long human immunization with COVID-19 IgG will last. It is not known whether COVID-19 is mutated in such a way that it can be reinfected with the mutated virus strain.

It takes time to manage tests, collect data, manage additional tests, calculate numbers, and draw accurate scientific conclusions.

It is important to know the accuracy of the test before making important public policy decisions, such as when to safely release “immune” workers to the workforce.

Have you caught COVID-19 last fall?

This fall we had a terrible cold and flu. Some people wonder if the disease like influenza in November was really COVID-19. I have heard optimistic speculation that Californians may not be immune.

I really hope this is true, but I think it is almost impossible. And this is the reason.

The Californians would not have had immunity to COVID-19 in November. When COVID-19 was circulating, the virus spread rapidly and the emergency and intensive care units were flooded with severe respiratory illness. There would have been an unexplained death. Your doctor would have noticed this.

Once the antibody test begins, you will have a better idea of ​​how many Californians are sick and who are immune. Until then, we all need to maintain a strict distance.

When will you return to “normal”?

I want to know, but not.

Unless the virus disappears due to seasonal changes, you need to expect a social distance element until a vaccine or effective treatment is found. If the community doesn’t seem to have been hit hard yet, acknowledge that neighbors have worked to increase social distance.

California implemented some drastic measures very early, and I believe this helped significantly slow down the surge

“Delay” is the keyword. COVID-19 is here. Due to limited testing, the data is not robust. It is necessary to assume that the actual number of cases is greater than the number of reported positive tests. We don’t say this to cause anxiety, but it’s important that we all stay in a social distance until we can collect more data.

Until extensive diagnostic and antibody testing has been performed, there is no data to know how the “curve” actually looks and where it is located.

California is not at its peak. Due to the social distance, the curve bends to a peak somewhere in May or June.

Scientific data is coming. The better the data, the more accurate the model. We must be patient and science.

Good news

The good news for us is that the rest of the world is months ahead. We have the ability to incorporate their data and experience into our plans.

of California Announced that more extensive nose testing is in progress. Antibody testing will be available shortly. More testing means more data coming.

Our medical and scientific communities are united, cooperating and moving at the speed of light. Treatments and vaccines are being actively researched.

It may feel like time, but testing and treatment are progressing slowly, but not so.

Find the silver lining

Take this time to be with your loved ones. slow down. Be more careful. Eat three meals together. Dust board game. Solve puzzles. Enjoy a family movie night with popcorn. Laugh. Look for the silver lining and talk with the children. You may never get another such opportunity.

Turn off 24/7 TV news coverage. Death trackers cause anxiety. The back and forth fuss sets us in the timeline with unrealistic expectations.

Stay at home and continue our role in flattening curves by minimizing travel for shopping and errands.

Get the time scientists and epidemiologists need to collect and sort data.

Together, we follow a science-based path from the COVID-19 crisis.

— Dr. Dan Brennan is a pediatrician certified by: Sanwa clinic Thanks for staying at home to protect the tribe and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Contact Dr. Dan at 805.563.6211. [email protected] Or visit www.sbpediatrics.com.