Is your corona self-test reliable? Check it out with this app
Corona rapid tests are practical, but to what extent can you rely on the lines of your home test? With a new web app you know, because with it you can quickly see how reliable your corona self-test is.
Read on after the ad.
How reliable is my corona self-test?
Corona self-tests come from different brands, and they are not always reliable – especially now with omikron. And although manufacturers usually state that the tests almost always detect a corona infection, the reality is often different.
Therefore, a group of German developers (called Zerforschung) the website schnelltesttest.de. Indeed: a test for your rapid test. Via the website you scan the barcode of the packaging of your rapid test and you can easily find out whether your corona test is reliable.
Take the quick test test
To see if your corona rapid test is reliable, do the following:
- Navigate via your iPhone (or a Mac or PC with webcam) to https://schnelltesttest.de;
- Tap ‘Scan code’ and give the website access to the camera;
- Scan the barcode of the self-test.
In German it is described how reliable your self-test is. Above you can see how reliable the test is if there are ‘very many’ virus particles present. The percentage below it is even more interesting. This indicates how many infections are detected among all samples with corona virus particles (the total sensitivity).
The figures are based on a study published last year by the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI). This is part of the German RIVM. However, the figures could be read in the form of a cluttered PDF file. With the new web app you can see much faster how reliable your corona self-test is.
When is a rapid test reliable?
The second percentage of the web app is especially important – especially if you have few or no complaints. Good corona self-tests have a total sensitivity of more than eighty percent. However, there are also rapid tests in circulation that detect corona in less than forty percent of cases, such as the test cassette we have in the office.
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