How new antigen testing could help coronavirus research

Dr. Helen Boucher, chief of geographic medicine and infectious diseases at Tufts Medical Center, explains how antigen testing could it be helpful to combat the coronavirus.

THE EXPERTS IN BOSTON.TONIGHT, WE’RE JOINED BY DR.HELEN BOUCHER.SHE IS THE CHIEF OF GEOGRAPHICMEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASESAT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER.THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.I WANT TO JUMP IN AND TALK ABOUTTESTING.A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT KINDS.PCR TESTING DETERMINES THEPOSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.ANTIBODY TESTING TELLS US IF YOUARE EXPOSED.NOW THERE IS ANTIGEN TESTING.TELL US WHAT IT IS AND HOW COULDIT BE HELPFUL?DR. BOUCHER: NICE TO BE WITHYOU.INIT IS A NEWLY APPROVEDMETHOD THAT LOOKS OF THE PROTEINFROM OUTSIDE THE VIRUS, KIND OFLIKE THE FLU TEST YOU MAY HAVEGOTTEN LAST SEASON.IT IS A FAST TEST THAT ISINEXPENSIVE AND COULD BE DONEEVEN AT YOUR DOCTOR’S OFFICE.THAT IS THE GOOD NEWS.THE CHALLENGE IS IT IS LESSSENSITIVE SO IT ONLY PICKS UPABOUT 85% OF CASES.THIS COULD BE USED TO KIND OFPROVE YOU HAVE IT AND IT ISNEGATIVE, YOU MIGHT NEED ASECOND TEST LIKE THE PCR TEST.THIS COULD BE A REAL GAMECHANGER FOR THE WAY WE TAKE CAREOF COVID PATIENTS IF WE CAN GETTHIS INTO DOCTORS OFFICES BY THENEXT FLU SEASON.EMILY: PROMISING.MASSACHUSETTS REOPENING COULDBEGIN NEXT WEEK.WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANTTHINGS PEOPLE NEED TO DO INTHESE EARLY STAGES TO TRY TOKEEP THE VIRUS FROM SPREADING?DR. BOUCHER: THIS IS REALLYIMPORTANT AND THINK WE NEED TOTHINK ABOUT THE THREE T’S.WE NEED TO THINK ABOUTTREATMENT.WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO THINKABOUT TREATING THE PATIENTS.VENTILATORS FOR PEOPLE WITHCOVID AND PEOPLE WHO ARE SICKAND OTHER WAYS, NOT PERSONALPROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO PROTECTHEALTH CARE WORKERS.WE NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH TESTINGTO BE ABLE TO TEST PEOPLE, BOTHPEOPLE INFECTED AND PEOPLE WHOARE EXPOSED TO PEOPLE THAT AREINFECTED.THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.WE NEED TO SEE THE NUMBER OFCASES COMING DOWN FOR AT LEAST14 DAYS.THEN, WE NEED TO HAVE THEABILITY TO TRACE THOSE CONTACTSOF INFECTED PEOPLE SO WE CANCONTAIN THE VIRUS SO WE WON’THAVE ANOTHER SURGE AS WE OPENUP.EMILY: DR. ANTHONY FAUCITESTIFIED TODAY THAT IT’SUNREALISTIC TO EXPECT ATREATMENT OR VACCINE BY FALL,YET SOME COLLEGES IN OUR REGIONHAVE SAID THEY WILL REOPENCAMPUSES.MAYBE JUST TOUCHED ON IT HEREWITH THE THREE T’S, WHAT KIND OFPRECAUTIONS THAT THEY NEED TOHAVE?DR. BOUCHER: THEN NEED TO HAVEALL OF THOSE AND MORE BECAUSECOLLEGES ARE PLACES WHERE WEHAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS PACKED INTOGETHER.THEY HAVE TO REALLY DOUBLE DOWNON HOW TO MANAGE EXPOSURES ANDHOW TO GET THOSE STUDENTS WHOMIGHT BE INFECTED OUT OFCIRCULATION INTO ISOLATION ANDHOW TO TRACETHOSE CONTACTSQUICKLY.THEY WILL BE NEEDING MOREAGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGNS.WAYS TO KEEP PEOPLE SEPARATEDAPART AND TO DO TESTING.EM