Why rapid and negative PCR comes out – Huge queues in EODY and diagnostics

More and more citizens are rushing to do molecular tests, at a time when the Omicron mutation has caused a “tsunami” of infections, with the cases recording one negative record after another.

The queues are long at health centers and diagnostic centers, with the result that citizens have to wait for hours in order to be served.

At the same time, the innumerable cases cause concern, where in cases of coronavirus the rapid tests come out negative and only the PCRs come out positive. The US FDA has officially said that rapid tests often make it difficult to detect the Omicron mutation and recommends molecular tests especially in case of symptoms.

However, the Greek authorities are reassuring about the reliability of the rapid tests and the government, through the Deputy Minister of Health, recommends that no molecular test be performed in case of a positive rapid and symptoms, in order to avoid discomfort. Professor G. Majorkinis acknowledged the issue, but explained that the period of negative rapid viral load is low and the risk of transmission is lower.

In yesterday’s briefing of the Ministry of Health on coronavirus, the Deputy Minister of Health Mina Gaga, the Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and member of the Committee of Experts Vana Papaevangelou and the Assistant Professor of Epidemiology molecular tests.

“Do not do molecular if the rapid test is positive – Stay home”

Also, Mina Gaga asked the vaccinated citizens with a positive rapid test not to come for PCR, because there is a big burden, and to stay at home.

“Because there are so many cases right now and it’s a lot of inconvenience, it’s better with the rapid test to stay home,” Gaga said.

Papaevangelou: PCR does not make sense in vaccinated people

For her part, Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Vana Papaevangelou, among other things, stressed that “only those who are not vaccinated for the first time and wish to issue a certificate of disease is necessary to confirm the positive rapid with PCR, which has no meaning in people who are fully vaccinated. ”

He also noted that we have about 380,000 adults over the age of 60 who are still unvaccinated.

“The average age of cases is 29 years. The Omicron mutation is different from previous strains. It is an extremely highly contagious virus that spreads very easily, which is why the increase in cases. That’s why experts suggested using a mask. increased protection or double mask “, he said and continued:

“Based on the data, the incubation time of the variant is significantly shorter. Studies show that the duration of the disease with Omicron is shorter. That is why the Commission revised the quarantine rules, based on the CDC decisions, based on the rule. “Those who have no symptoms will be quarantined for 5 days and then can be released with a high protection mask. On the contrary, fully vaccinated do not enter quarantine, but wear a mask.”

“Many who will catch Omicron, will consider that they have a simple cold and not a coronavirus. Do not ignore the symptoms of the common cold, but proceed to a laboratory test,” said Ms. Papaevangelou. He went on to say that there can be no complacency, and that hospitals are overburdened.

“The milder Omicron looks, the greater the risk to older people. Today, with Omicron prevalent throughout the country, we need to be extra careful in our dealings with the elderly or people with underlying diseases.” That’s why a test is required. ” He also made special reference to young people, who should show increased responsibility.

“With the great spread that exists all over the country, it is necessary to be very careful and to test when we have cold symptoms. He also noted that something that is not necessary for the vaccinated.

Majorkinis: Why rapid PCR is negative and PCR is positive

In his turn, Gikas Majorkinis stressed that “rapid tests approved by the Health Security Working Group of the European Union, are considered extremely reliable”, said Mr. Majorkinis and attributed the phenomenon of inconsistency between the results of rapid tests and of the most reliable – anyway – molecular (PCR) in the phenomenon of the “diagnostic window”.

Specifically, as the professor explained, the time difference between PCR positive and rapid, that is, the time when PCR is positive but rapid is negative at the beginning of the disease, is from a few hours to a day.

However, he explained: “During this time the probability of transmission is lower, as the load is low. The fact that the PCR takes several hours to days to perform, depending on the load on the system, does not really help. to stop the transmission because until the result of the PCR comes out, the rapid will also be positive ”.

As he said, “the use of PCR is important for the diagnosis of people who have persistent severe symptoms and rapid negative diagnostics, as it has been observed that in a small percentage of people the burden will remain low. There is a significant percentage of people who will pass the disease completely asymptomatically and will be diagnosed on the escape of the disease, ie in the final phase where the PCR is positive at a very low load and the rapid rapid is negative. “PCR can be positive even 30 days after the initial infection, but these people do not transmit.”

“So, in conclusion,” he concluded, “PCR is a very powerful tool, which should be used in very specific cases, while its usefulness in stopping the epidemic, due to the long delay from sampling to the result, “As a general rule, people who test positive for PCR but negative for a rapid rapid test are less likely to transmit it during this time.”

Plevris: Those who envision mass free PCR are popular

It is clear that at this stage it is not possible to give the opportunity for mass free molecular coronavirus tests in the general population, said in a statement the Minister of Health, Thanos Plevris.

“There are no corresponding structures to support them”, he states and reminds that the government “has ensured from early on free self-tests to all citizens and at the same time has evaluated both PCR and rapid tests”. Our country is in the first places of the EU countries in conducting mass tests. “Thanks to this policy, we have a complete record of the epidemiological picture in our country, providing citizens with free tests in public health structures and affordable prices in private structures.”

SYRIZA: Plevris is a placeholder for diagnostic centers

“Instead of pretending to be the treasure hunter of diagnostic centers, Mr. Plevris should say that rapids and molecular tests are cheap for families who curse by paying tens to hundreds of euros out of their own pocket every week, to see if they have made sense of it. to get a disease certificate, which they are required to do a molecular test “.

SYRIZA states this in a statement, while commenting further: “as for the full epidemiological census in our country, it is so good that two days before the 35,000 cases led the Minister of Health himself to state that everything is going well and he is optimistic”.

Iliopoulos: Ms. Gaga urges citizens not to take pcr test reveals worrying loss of control of the situation

Nassos Iliopoulos speaks of “dangerous alchemies” and “worrying loss of control of the situation” by the government on the occasion of “Mrs. Gaga urging the citizens not to take pcr tests”. The SYRIZA-PS spokesman underlines that the solution is one, the “immediate organization of a public and free pandemic tracking system”. In particular, in a statement, Mr. Iliopoulos states:

“People are waiting for hours for a molecular test and looting from the lack of free access to them. This is the shameful picture of the day. The government is now resorting to dangerous alchemies in the face of the impasse it has created. “The pcr test shows a worrying loss of control of the situation. The government itself has stipulated that a disease certificate is issued only with pcr. The solution is one: immediate organization of a public and free pandemic tracking system.”

Source: theTOC