Experts are worried lateral flow tests can't detect the Omicron variant effectively
Unless you've been living on a deserted island with no access to the internet (which, tbh, sounds quite appealing right now) then you'll be familiar with the Omicron variant of coronavirus which has been rapidly spreading across the UK.
Talk of the variant started towards the end of last month, when the first few cases were detected. Since then, Omicron has overtaken Delta as the dominant strain here in the UK, and we've seen a reintroduction of COVID measures, including mandatory mask wearing and advice to work from home.
It's no wonder then, that we've all been doing our part to prevent the spread of Omicron by taking regular lateral flow tests before meeting friends and family. But, as it turns out, some medical experts have concerns about whether lateral flow tests (also known as rapid antigen tests) can effectively detect cases of the Omicron variant.
"We're getting preliminary information that not all of the [rapid] diagnostic tests will be accurate with Omicron," said Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, before adding that further research is currently being carried out to determine the effectiveness of lateral flow tests with new variants.
However, referencing the lack of research currently available on the topic, GP and BBC Breakfast's Dr Rachel Ward told Cosmopolitan UK: "There is no evidence at the moment to suggest that the lateral flow tests that we are using do not detect Omicron."
"Lateral flow tests are very good at picking up COVID infections at the stage where people are most infectious," she adds. "In fact, they detect up to 80% of infections [and] are incredibly helpful for regular, quick, home testing."
But, the question still remains as to whether lateral flow tests will be effective for every variant. "As COVID mutates, it is likely that lateral flow tests designed to identify one strain will become less effective," points out Dr Natalie Kenny, CEO of BioGrad Diagnostics. For that reason, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are more reliable in terms of detecting COVID cases.
"PCR tests are regularly updated to identify new variants as they arrive," adds Dr Kenny. "A complete PCR test, performed in a laboratory, is the most accurate method for the detection of COVID with full genome sequencing of positive results to identify the specific variant."
That's not to say we should all just throw out our lateral flow tests though. In fact, the spread of Omicron is an important reminder that we should all be testing regularly. When it comes to using lateral flows, Dr Ward recommends testing yourself twice a week, as well as testing before visiting family and friends over the upcoming festive season.
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