Negative test: No antibodies against the spike protein are present at the time of testing. A high or low level of antibodies does not necessarily mean that you are immune, as antibodies are only a small part of the body's overall immune response. Scientifically, however, there is no limit above which one is considered protected. You could say that some protection has been built up. Positive test: The person has antibodies against the spike protein of the coronavirus, which means that either they have been in contact with the virus in the past or that the vaccine has caused an immune response. The result of the PCR test only confirms the initial positive finding of the antigen self-test. Afterwards, he/she must inform all persons with whom he/she had high-risk contact so that they go into self-quarantine.Īll persons concerned will be contacted by the Health Directorate as soon as possible. The person who tested positive must go into self-isolation and report the positive result online to the Health Directorate using this form. ![]() If the test result is positive, an infection must be assumed, especially in the case of symptoms. However, if the individual does not show any symptoms and has not had any contact with an infected person, the negative test result can also be considered as such. In this case, contact your general practitioner. If the test result is negative, a PCR test should be carried out in the event of worsening or continued symptoms. The accuracy of the test is optimal between the first and fourth day after the appearance of the symptoms, i.e. Depending on the test and the person, it is between 80 and 95% for symptomatic persons and between 50 and 60% for asymptomatic persons. These tests can therefore be carried out by whoever wishes to do so. So-called antigen self-tests have recently become available, which can be carried out by nasal swab without the person carrying out the test needing specific qualifications. In all cases, the test looks for viral proteins, which can be taken either from the mouth, the front or back of the nose, or even from saliva. Rapid tests performed by a nasal or throat swab can only be performed by trained personnel, while self-tests can also be conducted without specialists. There are several types of rapid antigen tests. Unlike the PCR test, the antigen test looks for proteins of the pathogen. Thus, in the case of a positive result, the affected persons can immediately go into self-isolation and the persons who were in close contact can proceed to self-quarantine. The advantage of the rapid test over the PCR test is that a result is available within 15 minutes. These tests are mainly used to identify highly infectious persons. Depending on the test and patient group, it is between 70 and 90%. The sensitivity of these tests is somewhat lower than that of PCR tests, as no amplification of the genetic material takes place in this procedure, but viral proteins are to be identified directly. ![]() ![]() These rapid tests have been available in Luxembourg since November 2020.
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