Following a shortage of reagents for RT-PCR tests in the laboratories of Saint-Martin, the Prefecture is calling on the public by means of a press release to give priority to antigenic tests.
Since the emergence of the pandemic and the use of SARS-CoV-2 detection tests, the instructions sent to the public have constantly evolved and seem to be modeled more on the government's capacity to provide the appropriate equipment than on the evolution of the epidemic. . As a reminder, according to the scientific literature and the dedicated formula, rapid antigenic tests constitute “an additional tool for reducing the chains of viral transmission. They complement the RT-PCR tests which remain the reference technique for the detection of Covid-19 infection "
COVID-19 / Capacitance voltages on PCR tests
In view of the evolution of the epidemic in our territories and in Guadeloupe and the new measures concerning travelers, a strong tension on the capacity of PCR tests is noted. The Prefecture of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin and the Regional Health Agency call on people who need to be tested as part of travel or the health pass to favor the use of antigenic tests (available in pharmacies, from nurses and doctors) whose results are obtained in 20 minutes. Antigenic tests of less than 48 hours are accepted by all airlines, for travelers, both international and regional flights. The use of PCR tests should be reserved as a priority for people who present symptoms of covid-19, for contact cases as well as for hospitalized patients.
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