Public health officials have renewed their criticism of off-the-shelf rapid antigen tests, saying they will not protect people from Covid-19. “These antigen tests will not keep you safe,” National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) official Prof Philip Nolan said on Sunday, in a Twitter post. Harvard epidemiologist Prof Michael Mina, a prominent advocate of antigen testing, responded by claiming Prof Nolan did not appear to know “what you are talking about”. Other experts, in Ireland and other countries, have advocated a greater role for mass, repeated antigen testing to quickly identify cases. In Ireland, where official use of antigen testing is limited, positive results are confirmed using the standards PCR test.

Source: The Irish Times May 09, 2021 15:13 UTC