Virologist Isabella Eckerl pointed out weaknesses in rapid antigen tests in an interview. In Geneva, it is currently conducting research on the reliability of rapid and self-tests. Preliminary results from the lab showed that “many tests do not even detect very positive samples, even though the patients from whom samples were taken were likely already infectious,” Eckerl said in an interview withWirtschaftswoche“.
She confirmed that it was possible that a person who took a quick test in the morning turned out to be negative was already contagious when he went to a restaurant in the evening. So she emphasized, “Anyone sitting in a restaurant is now at risk of omicron infection despite all hygiene measures.”
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This also applies if all guests have had a daily express test in addition to vaccination or recovery. Since people talk loudly there and eat and rarely wear a mask, an infection is unlikely, according to Eckerl. However, quick tests are useful. You can loosen the lab and break the chains of infection.
In Geneva, the Omicron wave is currently leading to rapidly increasing numbers. “Infected people are everywhere,” Eckerl wrote on Twitter. “You go out and meet someone who has the virus.” I recently got my third contact in a very short time.
On the topic of vaccination, she said in an interview that booster vaccination protects against infection for a while, and in the case of illness, from a severe course. “But what’s also part of the reality: Omicron will probably catch everyone sooner or later.” She suspects that Omikron will lead to “primary immunity” either because everyone has been vaccinated or has become infected. “This basic immunity will be the first step toward endemic disease.” (Teaspoon)
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