HARRISBURG — The Wolf Administration on Tuesday began distribution of the fourth allotment of COVID-19 antigen test kits provided by the federal government to Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified institutions in Elk, Lawrence, Mifflin and Philadelphia counties.

Given its size, Philadelphia will likely receive an additional allotment in week five. Tests will be given to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health for further distribution in its jurisdiction.

“Antigen test cards are a timely, quick and easy-to-use tool for communities to receive rapid COVID-19 testing,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “These test kits, provided by the federal government and being distributed to areas in need by the Wolf Administration, will further help communities struggling with the spread of COVID-19. Antigen tests look for pieces of proteins that make up the SARS-CoV-2 virus and are less sensitive than PCR tests for detecting COVID-19 infections.”

Last week 130,480 tests were distributed to 91 facilities in Blair, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Tioga, Venango, and Wyoming counties. Additional tests will be provided to health care providers in those counties in the coming weeks.

The antigen test detects an antigen on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus while the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test detects viral RNA. Both PCR and antigen tests can detect active infection and are considered diagnostic. Antigen tests can be considered for symptomatic individuals (within the first five to seven days of symptom onset) and in asymptomatic individuals in settings where there is a high probability that the individual to be tested is positive, such as when they are a close contact of a case.

The department anticipates receiving hundreds of thousands of tests over a number of weeks from the federal government. The department will continue to provide kits to counties in need.