SMH to offer rapid COVID-19 test

The Stephens Memorial Hospital District will be able to offer citizens the rapid COVID test. The testing will offer citizens a quicker test for the COVID-19 virus.

The hospital and Breckenridge Medical Center both now can perform the rapid COVID-19 test. These test results are generally back in 15 minutes or less.

“The hospital finally received all of our supplies and are now able to perform the COVID quick test, Chris Curtis, Director of Business Development said. “Results are back within 15 minutes and the test is available at the hospital and also at Breckenridge Medical Center. A physician’s oyrder is required.”

While the test is available for use, the test isn’t approved by the Federal Drug Administration for citizens, according to a fact sheet from the Quidel Corporation.

“This test is not yet approved or cleared by the United States Federal Drug Administration. When there are no FDA-approved or cleared tests available, and other criteria are met, the FDA can make tests available under an emergency access mechanism called an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). The EUA for this test is supported by the Secretary of Health and Human Service’s (HHS’s) declaration that circumstances exist to justify the emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for the detection and/or diagnosis of the virus that causes COVID-19. This EUA will remain in effect (meaning this test can be used) for the duration of the COVID-19 declaration justifying emergency of IVDs unless it is terminated or revoked by FDA (after which the test may no longer be used).

If a person testing has a positive test result, they likely have COVID-19 because proteins from the virus that causes COVID-19 were found in the testing sample.

There are different kinds of tests for diagnosing COVID-19. Molecular tests (also known as PCR tests) detect genetic material from the virus. Antigen tests detect proteins from the virus. Antigen tests are very specific for the virus but are not as sensitive as molecular tests. This means that a positive result is highly accurate, but a negative result does not rule out infection.