The 10th allotment of COVID-19 antigen test kits from the state are now being distributed to the 20 counties yet to receive them — including McKean and Cameron.
The Wolf Administration on Tuesday indicated the test kits were provided by the federal government to Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified institutions, and that all counties in the state have received the tests.
“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. After this week, all 67 counties will have received antigen test cards.”
In this shipment, counties included are McKean, Cameron, Warren, Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Fayette, Greene, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Washington and Wayne.
Last week, 99,200 tests were distributed to 59 facilities in Potter, Carbon, Clarion, Lycoming, Northampton and York counties.
In weeks one through eight, 1,427,680 antigen test cards were distributed to CLIA-certified sites in the following counties: Elk, Armstrong, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Mercer, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango, Westmoreland and Wyoming.
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 tests. 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.
CLIA-certified sites include all long-term care facilities; higher-education institutions; drug and alcohol and behavioral health treatment centers; state and county correctional facilities; healthcare providers; federally qualified health centers; urgent care centers; pharmacies and primary care doctors.
The targeted populations will be tested at CLIA-certified sites that directly receive these test kits and can provide timely test results and health care advice during their visit.
Targeted populations include individuals in congregate care settings; day care workers or clients; K-12 students and adults who work in K-12 settings; college and university students; individuals without permanent housing; food distribution facility employees; food workers, and first responders.
