The Way States Count Test Results Matters As Antigen Testing Comes Online In Mountain West

KUNC | By Rae Ellen Bichell

Published September 28, 2020 at 5:43 PM MDT

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Antigen tests look for proteins on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19. While other tests including PCR require laboratory work to process, some antigen tests can yield quick results much like a pregnancy test.

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Antigen testing is starting to become a more common way to test for COVID-19. It looks for the virus’ surface coating, rather than pieces of its genetic material. It’s faster and easier to administer than other tests. Public health experts say it’s important to collect all results — positive and negative — to understand the scale of each state’s outbreak.