Covid-19 antigen testing starts in Ctg

Antigen testing for Covid-19 has started in Chattogram from Tuesday on a test basis. Initially, the service is limited only to Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (BITID) laboratory at Fauzderhat, said officials of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Each test will cost patients Tk 100, said sources in BITID.

Contacted, Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, civil surgeon of Chattogram, said a total of 1,000 testing kits have been given to BITID primarily for antigen testing.

"Only BITID has been given permission for Covid-19 antigen tests in Chattogram for now" he said, adding, "The government will decide about expanding the test after evaluating the outcome of this programme."

Experts said what sets antigen testing apart from RT-PCR tests is that results can be known within half-an-hour of testing, compared to at least 24 hours for RT-PCR tests.

An antigen test reveals if a person is currently infected with a pathogen. Once the infection is gone, the antigen disappears. This test is considered highly accurate for certain kind of patients and can provide results in minutes.

On the other hand, RT-PCR, considered a gold-standard technology for Covid-19 detection, traces pieces of the virus through analysing sputum or mucus samples collected from the human body -- nasal and throat.

"But the problem with antigen tests is that its scope is limited to patients with symptoms who come for testing within four days of showing these symptoms. In other words, it's not very effective for asymptomatic patients," said Prof Dr Shakeel Ahmed, in-charge of BITID laboratory. "This is why it's not recommended for all."

"Samples of patients, who have symptoms but tested negative for Covid-19 (after antigen testing), are being tested through RT-PCR to be reconfirmed," he said. "No additional charge is kept for the test," added Prof Shakeel.

"To evaluate the quality of antigen tests, we will compare the results with that of RT-PCR tests with a good number of samples," he said.

Contacted, Dr Hasan Shahriar Kabir, Chattogram divisional director of DGHS, said if the result of Covid-19 antigen test proves to be authentic, other establishments across the division will be allowed to conduct the test.

At present, apart from Chattogram district, the government has permitted the test only in Brahmanbaria, he said.