The Government has now published a guide to the Coronavirus tests that are being used in this country. With Test and Trace now launched, it’s a useful guide to what to expect if you are in line to be tested.
To find out if and why you should take a test, read this.
To get a test contact Test and Trace.
If you are isolating or shielding and believe you may need a test, but are unsure of what to do, or are caring for someone who you think needs a test, this Government guide will help you understand what is involved. There are links to official information sources within the article.
Sampling kits – for key workers and priority cases
A sample is collected by the person having the test (self-administered) or by someone else (assisted) in a home or mobile environment such as police stations, care homes or drive-through centres. The sampling kits contain a swab which is applied to the nose and throat, or by providing saliva. The sample should be placed into special packaging provided and sent to the designated lab for analysis.
This type of sampling kit is currently being rolled out at scale by the government to key workers and those prioritised for testing. Those eligible can access sampling kits through the government’s official channels.
Read more about the testing process.
A sampling kit that has a valid CE mark can be sold to members of the public and used by them privately.
Laboratory or point-of-care testing
These tests are always done by healthcare professionals. They are not designed to be used by people in their homes as they may give results that need to be interpreted by a trained and qualified healthcare professional.
Some tests are undertaken in a laboratory by specialist staff using specialist equipment. Other tests require less equipment, are easier to use and can be performed by a fully trained and qualified healthcare professional – often in the presence of the person being tested.
Types of COVID-19 tests
Tests for the virus
This type of test looks for the presence of genetic material from the COVID-19 virus within a swab or saliva sample. A positive test shows that the person being tested has a current, COVID-19 virus infection.
How it works
The test is performed by a fully trained, healthcare professional in a laboratory, ward or clinic. It involves analysing a sample collected from deep inside the nose or the back of the throat by a swab or the sample might be saliva or other fluid. The test can take from less than an hour to several days to get a result.
Tests for antibodies to the virus
This type of test looks for the presence of antibodies (produced by people with the virus to counteract the virus) against the COVID-19 virus. These antibody tests are also referred to as serology tests and can be conducted in a laboratory or through point-of-care testing.
How it works
The test is intended to determine if someone has previously been infected with COVID-19 and now may have antibodies against the virus. A positive result from this test does not guarantee immunity to COVID-19 infection. It may just indicate a recent infection that may or may not have been COVID-19.
The tests involve taking a blood sample, often a finger prick, which will be analysed for the presence of antibodies associated with COVID-19. These tests should only be performed and interpreted by fully trained, healthcare professionals and not by members of the public.
Some manufacturers are selling products intended to detect COVID-19 antibodies. These typically use a few blood drops applied to a small cassette. These tests should be available to healthcare professionals only.
COVID-19 antibody testing services made available to members of the public
Some UK providers such as high street pharmacies and private healthcare providers offer COVID-19 antibody testing for members of the public.
The test involves collecting a fingerprick blood sample into a small container following a set of instructions. The container is then sent to a laboratory for analysis and the results are returned direct to the person who took the test, with an indication of the reliability of the result.
The laboratory tests are CE marked and safe for use on blood drawn from the vein by a healthcare professional, but have not yet been validated by the manufacturer of the test to be used with a fingerprick blood sample. The sample collection kits have not yet been validated for home use and the NHS can’t be sure that people collecting samples at home currently have sufficient support to collect samples in a way that the laboratory can process to give reliable results.
It’s very important for people at home to be able to understand the reliability of the result and what it means for them.
The science regarding long term immunity from COVID-19 is still emerging and the implications of a positive antibody result are difficult to assess. A positive result may not mean a person is immune or if they demonstrate immunity now, or how long this will last.
The NHS strongly advise members of the public or organisations who have purchased these tests and received antibody results to continue to follow the Government’s advice whatever the result of the test.
What we’re doing
We are contacting providers of the antibody testing services and the laboratories running these tests.
We are asking them to temporarily stop offering these tests for sale until the regulatory and safety concerns have been resolved.
This involves further validation of the sample collection kits and the sample type and ensuring that result and supporting information is helpful and accurate.
Report any issues with COVID-19 tests
Further information
Read more about how to use self-test kits safely.
The #FakeMeds campaign is a public health campaign which aims to reduce the harm caused by purchasing fake or unlicensed medical products online.
Learn how to spot a fake and purchase medical products safely online.
Any incidents involving medical devices, including testing kits, or suspected fake or unlicensed testing kits, can be reported via the Yellow Card scheme.