With the fantastic news that the vaccine is now being rolled out across the UK and of course with Spring on the way, things could be looking a little bit brighter in the not so near future, but in the meantime, we are being asked which products may help to protect you, your family and your workforce.
Regular testing is one of the best ways of ensuring you keep things as safe as possible, but which test is right for your current situation? As always, the team at Lello have been speaking with the leading manufacturers to get you the right information and the best priced products on the market available.
Antibody Tests
An antibody test reveals if a person has already been exposed to an infection, by detecting antibodies in their blood or serum. Antibody tests are not usually used to diagnose current infection as it takes the body some time to produce antibodies. During the period before the adaptive immune system kicks in, the fast-acting and non-specific innate immune response combats infection. In a nutshell, Antibody tests are useful to help track the spread of a disease.
Antigen Tests
An antigen test reveals if a person is currently infected with a pathogen. Once the infection has gone, the antigen disappears. Unlike nucleic acid based tests such as PCR, which detect the presence of genetic material, antigen tests detect proteins, such as those found on the surface of a virus. They usually provide test results rapidly, are relatively cheap, and can be more amenable to point-of-care use, which could make them more suitable for testing in the community.
So basically, if you are showing symptoms and want to see if you are currently infected, the antigen test is for you.
As always, Lello has been ahead of the game by supplying these types of products throughout the pandemic thanks to our direct purchasing capabilities with the major manufacturers and ensuring we keep the product price low, with next working day delivery 🙂
More Product Information
COVID-19 Antigen Rapid (Swab) Test Kit
COVID-19 Antibody Lateral Flow Test Kit Cassette Type (IgM & IgG)