It could prove to be a crucial part of the test.
A biologist has explained how some people may be missing a crucial step of their lateral flow or antigen test, and how important this is in detecting Omicron.
While many at-home test kits advise that users only take a nasal swab, University College London Cell Biologist Jennifer Rohn has urged people displaying symptoms associated with the Omicron variant to swab the back of their throat as well.
In a tweet showing her positive test, Prof Rohn wrote: “Well, there it is. Today, with the ‘wrong’ (i.e. cold) symptoms and after a string of negative LFTs, I finally took Twitter advice and swabbed my throat as well as my nose (no mean feat with that diddly stick).
“If you think you might have covid, consider adding the throat sample.”
Well, there it is. Today, with the “wrong” (i.e. cold) symptoms and after a string of negative LFTs, I finally took Twitter advice and swabbed my throat as well as my nose (no mean feat with that diddly stick). If you think you might have COVID, consider adding the throat sample pic.twitter.com/YKihOKh6mE
— Prof Jennifer L. Rohn (@JennyRohn) December 27, 2021
This involves swabbing your tonsils with the same cotton swab used to take a sample from your nose.
Harvard epidemiology professor Dr Michael Mina echoed the importance of doing a throat swab and how they can be crucial in detecting Omicron.
He tweeted: “Symptoms are starting [very] early [with] Omicron (for a number of reasons I’ve discussed). This means that there is a chance the virus isn’t yet growing in the nose when you first test.
“Virus may start further down. Throat swab + nasal may improve chances a swab picks up virus.”
Symptoms are starting v early w Omicron (for a number of reasons I’ve discussed)
This means that there is a chance the virus isnt yet growing in the nose when you first test
Virus may start further down. Throat swab + nasal may improve chances a swab picks up virus. https://t.co/NfxHqjKpIo
— Michael Mina (@michaelmina_lab) December 27, 2021
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