One of the many things that have been associated with the testing required for COVID.  However, I don’t know about you but getting tested and especially getting at home tests has been a hassle.  So let’s delve into what are the types of COVID tests, how they work, and why can’t we seem to find them.

What

So as I am sure many of you know there are different Covid tests available more than all the members of the Wutang Clan.  Broadly speaking though they fall into three categories: Antigen, Antibody, and Molecular Test.  So let’s try to understand how they work

Antigen Test

The antigen test AKA “Rapid Test” is basically your quick banger. Like Drake it’s a popular test and keeps pumping out hits, that gives you results in less than half and hour which provides you some comfort that you avoided the plague or not.  The antigen test is low cost and doesn’t use expensive equipment to process the sample by looking for genetic material.  Instead the test works by looking for surface proteins or markers that exist on the surface of the virus.  In this case the spike protein, which I have written about in my previous article on Covid.  Unfortunately there is a tradeoff cause the accuracy of this test isn’t as good as we might want.  Usually the accuracy is around 80%(imagine if Condoms had that type of protection?) It’s the test we probably all have taken given the rise of Omicron.

Molecular Test

The Molecular test AKA “PCR test” is the more technically accurate test.  It’s a proven method that has been used in the Biotech industry for over 25 years that can be up to 95 percent accurate. So as Maury says you are the father, the PCR tests will let you know if you have that Rona. It’s extremely accurate like and precise like Kendrick Lamar and like Kendrick takes a while to give you quality classics. PCR stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction which is a reaction commonly used to amplify bits of RNA and DNA. Polymerase is a enzyme that naturally exist in the body and works by multiplying your DNA during Mitosis (Cell division) and Meiosis (Sexual cell division (how we make sperm and eggs)).  Scientists have taken advantage of this to amplify certain genetic markers and in this case amplify the RNA strand of the Corona virus.

The procedure begins by taking a sample from a potentially infected person’s nose or mouth (saliva), where virus might be found. If SARS-CoV-2 is present in the sample, then even low levels of virus genomic material can be amplified into millions of copies detected during a molecular diagnostic assay.  Through cycles of heating and cooling using some expensive chemicals like nucleic acids and expensive equipment you can have the results in a few days…..and a hundred and fifty bucks depending on your insurance situation. #healthcareinAmericasucks. However you will have accurate results that let you know your status.

Antibody Test

An antibody test AKA “serology test” is a screening for things called antibodies in your blood. Your body makes these when it fights an infection, like COVID-19. The same thing happens when you get a vaccine, like a flu shot. Which is how you build immunity to a virus, but I would rather get the shot instead of the risk of death. Like J. Cole, it’s giving you something you wanted a while ago and it came right on time. The antibody test isn’t checking for the virus itself. Instead, it looks to see whether your immune system — your body’s defense against illness — has responded to the infection.  In other words if you haven’t had the shot and got sick but want to know if you had the COVID you can take this test to find out.  Hopefully you won’t need to because you took that jab better than Rocky right?

Why

So now that we know how the test work lets try to understand the real issue here.  Why the hell I can’t find them?  Well let’s first try to understand how many COVID tests are actually approved.  While checking the FDA website the FDA states  “Since the start of the pandemic, we authorized over 400 tests and collection kits, including: 235 molecular, 88 antibody, and 34 antigen tests”.  That sounds like a lot except when you compare it to the 682 approved tests by the EU (European Union).  Then take into account there are about 330 million people in the US and 447 million people in the EU, that means there is roughly .8 approved test per million people in the US while there is 1.5 approved test per million people in the EU. #Americanhealthcaresucks.  So let’s get a little deeper as to why.

When it comes to broader issues like this I typically listen to the words of my mother.  Follow the money!  So I did.  Apparently the FDA has a government funding for the year 2022 of 6.5 billion dollars.  However this is only about 55% of its budget as the other 45% comes from the drug companies it regulates. Someone smell that fish yet? In comparison the Department of Defense budget is 770 billion dollars.  I know what some of you are thinking to, we need that money to keep Americans safe.  My answer to that question is trying to get a handle on the plague might help defend Americans don’t ya think?  So if maybe some additional resources were used to fund the FDA we might have more approved COVID test.

Conclusion

There are increasingly more ways to test for COVID 19, which has proven to be a effective way of reducing the spread.  Scientists have come up with innovative ways of detecting the virus but if they are not approved due to lack of resources we all are effected.  Regardless of whether you like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, or J. Cole; the Rapid Test, PCR Test, or Antibody test please get tested! We have to prioritize peoples lives in order to prevent more loss of life, and that usually means more funding and political power to make that happen.  If the government can’t do that in the face of a plague than what good is that government?