Coronavirus test in Puerto Vallarta: Effective test options to detect a Covid-19 infection

According to Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), there are several vaccines that are currently on the Phase 3 efficacy trial. Hopefully, one of these vaccines might be effective to prevent coronavirus infections in the near future. However, in the meanwhile, the only weapons that we have available to stop this disease are Public Health measures that have proven to be effective over time. In fact, this is why Mr. Adhanom pronounced his famous phrase, “test, test, test”, in which he stated and acknowledged that coronavirus tests are essential to fight and contain this pandemic. According to his statements, Covid-19 tests are of vital importance because:

• They help us identify positive cases at an early stage.
• Identifying positive cases at an early stage enables us to quarantine infected individuals, thus stopping the spread of this disease.
• When a positive case is identified, contact tracing can be performed to locate people who might have been exposed to this virus. Subsequently, individuals who are considered at high risk of being infected can be quarantined to avoid further contacts.
• Finally, early identification of positive cases helps to prevent deaths, as infected individuals are able to get the needed medical care.

As we can see, coronavirus tests are our best option to stop the spread of this pandemic. Due to their importance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has approved the following test for Covid-19 detection and diagnosis:

• Covid-19 Viral tests, also known as molecular tests or RT-PCR tests.
• Covid-19 Antigen tests.
• Covid-19 Antibody tests, also known as rapid tests or serology tests

Types of Coronavirus tests – Coronavirus test in Puerto Vallarta

Comparative table: Covid-19 viral test vs. Antigen test

Difference between a Covid-19 viral test and a coronavirus antibody test

COVID-19 viral test (PCR):

• It is used to diagnose an active coronavirus infection.
• For people who have mild respiratory symptoms up to acute symptoms.
• The test´s sample is taken with a nasal swab or throat swab.
• The viral test is approved and recommended both by the WHO and the FDA.
• It’s the most reliable test that is currently available; its sensitivity and specificity level is above 98%.

Coronavirus antibody test (rapid test):

• It is used to determine if a person has been infected with coronavirus in the past.
• Used on people who had symptoms in the past, or who never had symptoms.
• The test´s sample is taken through drawing blood or a finger stick.
• The antibody test is only recommended and approved by the FDA.

Are Covid-19 rapid tests (antibody tests) safe and reliable?

Due to the rapid growth of the coronavirus pandemic, the need to perform a massive testing across states and countries has become a priority. However, it’s important to remember that a reliable and exact diagnosis is more important than being able to apply large amounts of tests. Accordingly, there is an ongoing debate among public health officials around the world regarding what’s most important, the accuracy of a testing method (the viral test), or the ability to perform a massive testing strategy (with antibody tests).

In this sense, it is worth noting that the current sensitivity and specificity level of Covid-19 antibody tests is in the 60% range. Therefore, there is a significant probability that a rapid test could give a false positive or false negative result. In contrast to viral tests that detect the viruses´ genetic material, rapid tests can only detect antibodies that your immune system develops against a foreign threat, such as Covid-19. Consequently, antibody tests are aimed to detect our immune system’s response to the virus, but not the virus itself.         

In turn, the main problem of rapid tests is that a person’s immune system can take up to twelve days (after being infected) to develop the corresponding antibodies. Thus, this test can detect past or even recent coronavirus infections, but not active infections in which antibodies might not have yet developed.

Steps during a viral test

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend the molecular test to diagnose an active Covid-19 infection. However, it has a lengthy processing time and requires specialized laboratory facilities. Nevertheless, despite these inconveniences, it’s a very reliable test, with a sensitivity and specificity above 98%.

The steps to perform a viral test for Covid-19 are the following:

1.     Your doctor or a laboratory technician will introduce a nasal swab or a throat swab.
2.     The swab can be introduced through your throat or nose, depending on the collection method.
3.     Once introduced, the nasal swab will remain in place for a few seconds.
4.     Your doctor or laboratory technician will gently rotate the swab to collect a sufficient sample.
5.     Finally, the swab is retrieved and placed in a vial or small glass container, and is sent to an authorized laboratory for immediate processing.

Proper interpretation of Covid-19 test results

Covid-19 viral tests can issue two results: DETECTED or NOT DETECTED.

• “Detected” result: this means that you have an active coronavirus infection. In this case, we recommend that you take the necessary preventive measures both to take care of yourself and to avoid transmitting the infection to others. Accordingly, you should remain in quarantine and avoid contact with other people. Finally, to determine the duration of your quarantine and the end date of this time period, you should consider the following:
  • If you had any kind of respiratory symptom, since the day of your positive result or the first day of symptom onset (symptomatic patient): You should remain in quarantine for at least 13 days. If your symptoms stopped during or before the first ten days of your quarantine, you should keep your quarantine for ten days plus three additional days (total days of quarantine = 13 days). On the other hand, if your symptoms continue to be present after the tenth day of your quarantine, you should remain isolated until your symptoms disappear. Once this happens, you should remain in isolation for three additional days, before ending your quarantine. Consequently, since the number of days that you should remain in quarantine will vary depending on when your symptoms disappear, we recommend asking your family physician for advice on when to end your isolation period.

• • If you never had any symptoms, since the day of your positive result (asymptomatic patient): if you didn’t have any symptoms, and continue without any symptoms since the first day of your positive result, than you should remain in quarantine for ten days (since the day of your positive result). Therefore, you will be able to end your isolation period on the eleventh day.

** For both of these cases, symptoms refers to either having fever or respiratory symptoms. Consequently, a patient without symptoms would be one who does not have fever nor respiratory symptoms.**

• “Not Detected” result: A “not detected” result means that it is almost certain that you do not have a Covid-19 infection. However, keep in mind that the test could issue a “false negative” result (a result that is in theory negative, when in reality there is an active infection). This can only happen in some cases in which the infection has just recently started, maybe one or two days ago and therefore, there isn’t enough viral load for the test to detect it. In addition, it’s worth noting that even if your result is truly negative, you could always be infected in the near future if you don’t take the necessary preventive measures. Thus, you should follow the normal preventive guidelines, such as maintaining social distancing, always wearing a face mask and washing your hands frequently.

Hospital CMQ City Center – Sanlor Laboratory

Hospital CMQ Premiere – Sanlor Laboratory

Hospital CMQ Riviera Nayarit – Sanlor Laboratory

UdeG – University of Guadalajara

Secretaria de Salud Jalisco

Diagnosti-k Laboratory

Medasist

Hospital Joya (San Javier)

Hospiten

Vallarta Medical Center

Plan your visit for your Coronavirus test in Puerto Vallarta

If you think you may be infected with Covid-19 and you would like to have the proper test performed, please call and notify your preferred hospital before leaving home. If this is the case, our three hospital locations offer convenient access to testing sites across Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. Please call one of our three hospitals (CMQ City Center, CMQ Premiere or CMQ Riviera Nayarit) and schedule your appointment. This is very important as it will give us the opportunity to prepare our medical staff with the necessary preventive measures, and to be ready to provide the proper medical care.

Coronavirus test in Puerto Vallarta Frequently Asked Questions

Sources:

https://www.fda.gov/media/138239/download
https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html