The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Local
    • Palmdale
    • Lancaster
    • Los Angeles County
    • Littlerock
    • Lake Los Angeles
    • Rosamond
    • Edwards AFB
    • Acton
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Show Search

L.A. County looks to distribute rapid antigen tests to better track COVID-19

by City News Service • October 27, 2020

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County officials Tuesday announced a rapid antigen testing pilot program, which could help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by providing health officials faster results.

Antigens are toxins within the body, and the tests will try to identify someone’s health irregularities before they are further along in their symptoms. Test results are delivered within minutes instead of days or hours, officials said.

The tests will first be administered to firefighters, and that data will be collected and then scanned by artificial intelligence software, with the hopes the spread of the virus could be better tracked, according to Dr. Neeraj Sood, the vice dean of research at USC.

Sood said health officials began giving the antigen tests to firefighters last week. “We’re using two types of tests with the firefighters — we are using a self-test where the firefighters can … get results within 15 minutes, and we confirm the results with a (polymerise chain reaction) test,” Sood said.

The first phase will be completed in the next two weeks, Sood said.

The second phase will provide antigen tests to the county’s COVID-19 testing sites and will be distributed to schools once they’re allowed to reopen. The second phase will likely last a few months, Sood said.

Antigen tests administered through the pilot program are a nasal swab, but they don’t need to be inserted as far up someone’s orifices than the earlier COVID-19 tests, making it a more comfortable method.

Detecting antigens in people who are asymptomatic could also be a significant way to stop the spread of the disease, as people who don’t experience symptoms may not know they are contagious. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service in early October announced a partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation to provide at least 120,000 diagnostic tests to pilot sites, including Los Angeles County.

–

Filed Under: Health, Home, Los Angeles County

Recent Comments

  • Route 138 on Man killed in two-vehicle collision on Pearblossom Highway: “DUI.” Nov 28, 14:29
  • Few Details on One killed in Littlerock shooting: “Drugs.” Nov 28, 14:27
  • Investigation on Authorities investigating fatal stabbing in Lancaster: “Another fine day in Lancaster…” Nov 28, 14:24
  • Dismissed on Judge dismisses last claims in LACo prosecutor’s employment lawsuit: ““Baek has never been disciplined, demoted, suspended or fired, yet she views benign workplace incidents as mistreatment or adverse employment…” Nov 28, 14:19
  • Tim Scott on LA County to explore distribution of gun locks at hospitals: “Sure man. All the great successes in history have wound up in Lake LA.” Nov 28, 14:19

Copyright © 2023 · The AV Times LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use