SARS Rapid Antigen Test – Is it Accurate?
If you’re hearing about the SARS rapid antigen test, you’re not alone. The SARS acronym has been in the news quite a bit lately, and you’re probably wondering what it means and if you should be concerned. According to recent articles by the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no reason to panic if you have not had any contact with someone who has contracted SARS or visited one of the affected areas in Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore.
What is SARS and how did it start?
SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) is a disease that infects your lungs and respiratory system. It causes flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. SARS first became widespread in 2003 and killed almost 800 people in 22 countries before subsiding at that time. However, new cases have been reported in 2012.
How SARS Spread in the Early Days
In March of 2003, doctors in Guangdong Province in China noticed an unusual illness in a number of patients. These patients complained of severe respiratory distress, which had never been seen before. The condition was so strange that when they found similarities between their cases and an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in late 2002 in Singapore, they sent samples to Singapore for analysis. At least five laboratories agreed: these were SARS-like viruses.
The Way Forward - Present Day
The development of a rapid test for SARS is good news. However, as with all new technologies, it may take time before we find out how accurate they are. This could lead to some patients being prescribed antibiotics unnecessarily when they have a common cold or flu virus, rather than having SARS.
Other Topics Related to SARS
SARS is a viral respiratory sickness brought about by SARS-Covid (SARS-CoV). SARS spread from person to person, primarily through coughing or sneezing. Illness from SARS can be prevented by avoiding contact with infected people and by taking everyday preventive actions such as washing hands frequently with soap and water, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your arm, and not touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
