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Frequently Asked Questions
We currently only offer the rapid lateral flow antigen test. It’s a Point of Care (POC) test meaning results are shown at the test site (does not have to be taken to a lab to process results). The test is taken via a nasopharyngeal swab (up the nose) and added to a solution which “flows” through checkpoints to detect positive genes within 15 minutes. The antigen test detects if the patient has, or is carrying a current case of SARSCoV-2 (COVID-19), as opposed to an antibody test which detects if a patient recently had it. We can also arrange PCR tests (although these are not rapid) and we are trialling the new rapid saliva tests.
A lateral flow test is a type of diagnostic used to confirm if (in this case) SARSCoV-2 (COVID-19) is present. It’s a term used for the way in which samples flow into a marker or trigger to show if the sample is contaminated. Simply, a sample is extracted from a liquid into the single-use test unit. In this case, a nasopharyngeal swab. There are many other forms of lateral flow tests with the most common one being the urine pregnancy test.
In order for the test to be considered genuine by Public Health England, our tests must be carried out by a certified medical professional such as a nurse or doctor in a sterile condition. For the sake of good care and hygiene, we also insist the point of care setting is comfortable.
When you buy a mobile test solution from us we include the relevant number of medical professionals and safety administrators for the size of the operation. We will complete a risk assessment ahead of confirming the booking so you can feel rest assured that the appropriate number of qualified staff are carrying out the testing. This complete package means you do not need to provide any of your own staff. For larger operations, we will complete a plan together to ensure larger topics such as stewarding are covered.
We have access to rapid lateral flow test kits are manufactured by Edinburgh Genetics and Biotec Biomedical.
The accuracy of the tests range between manufactures slightly but as a minimum, the tests work to a 95% sensitivity and 99% specificity.
Sensitivity is a record of the accuracy within truly positive patients (potentially giving them a false negative). Test sensitivity indicates the ability of the test to correctly identify patients that have the disease. A test’s sensitivity is also known as the true positive rate. If a diagnostic test correctly identified 100% of all positive results, it would be as sensitive as possible.
Specificity is a record of the accuracy within truly negative patients (potentially giving them a false positive). Test specificity indicates the ability of the test to correctly identify patients that do not have the disease. If a test correctly identifies all people without the disease as negative, it would be as specific as possible.
By way of example, if we tested 1000 people and 20 of them were truly COVID-positive, we would have 95% of picking up those 20 results (giving us a potential error of 1 false reading). The rest of the 980 truly negative patients would have a 99% chance of recording them correctly (giving us a potential error of 10 false readings).
Antigens show when the virus is currently within your system. Antibodies will show if you recently had the virus in your system. However, antibodies could present themselves for other reasons and therefore these tests are not considered overly accurate.
You cannot pass on the virus respiratorily until the antigens have been established in your system (4-10 days from contracting the virus). However, you can at any time pass the virus on via touch contamination and the moment the virus presents itself which could be anytime after the test was taken. We recommend regular point of care testing to reduce this chance of happening.
A PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test is the most commonly used COVID-19 test. It has the highest accuracy available but samples must be extracted and tested in a lab environment. Even at the most efficient, this process takes hours, not minutes. With that, it’s a slow and expensive option.
Our service is registered with UKAS whilst our medical staff are registered with their relevant authorities and insured to perform their duties. Our chosen manufacturers supply CE-IVD rapid immunoassay IVD medical devices that have been registered by the MHRA in the UK at a GMP, ISO 13485 and FDA registered manufacturing sites in the UK.
If you have tested positive for antigens you are contagious. If you have caught COVID-19 but you do not know it yet because the virus is still incubating in your system, then you cannot pass the virus on via respiratory methods. However, you will be contagious as soon as the virus presents itself and this will naturally be before you are able to test for it. If you are known to have been close to a positive person you must self-isolate in line with guidance but even if you have not, our recommendation is to continue operating with social distancing where possible and to test regularly if projects span a number of days.
When creating risk assessments for each mobile test site, we will establish a positive-scenario procedure. This will include a secure way of the positive person leaving the site as they will not be allowed to continue being on site. Since areas are decontaminated between tests, social distancing remains in place and all contact staff wear PPE, there is a low risk of the positive person passing on the virus during their testing time. We also encourage pairing up crew so that replacements can step in should someone be instructed to self-isolate. Positive persons will be advised to follow NHS guidance and have a PCR test.
We require 36 hours to book in remote testing. All staff are deployed locally to your area and all test kits are already in the UK, meaning delivery for 10,000’s of kits can take place overnight.
We issue the patient an SMS to notify them of their result as soon as we have it (within 15 minutes). We can also issue an email link which can provide a formal certificate from our service. We are working with major partners to connect this further with ticket and health passport systems.
Before each person being tested arrives at the location, we ask them to fill in an online form which inputs their details into the testing database. This secure form asks questions which help build a risk profile against the person (including checking if they have COVID-19 symptoms or have visited high-risk areas recently). Each event is unique so we can ask additional questions subject to information production staff may need (e.g. checking if they have appropriate PPE). The forms can be hosted on your website or branded and hidden behind a custom URL.
Our database has a number of methods to connect with third parties securely. The list is constantly updating across ticket, rota and registration systems including digital health passports.
For conventional pricing, the minimum order is 30 units in one session. We can do less but it is far less cost-effective.
No. The service we offer is accredited and in line with UK law. The kits must be administered in certain conditions, with government authority and by registered medics.