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Japan to approve its first antigen coronavirus test kits

32 Comments
By Kiyoshi Takenaka

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© Thomson Reuters 2020.

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32 Comments
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I'd like to have an antibody test so if it turns out I had Covid-19 I can say "I have the antibodies!" just like Madonna.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Smithinjapan, I think your analysis are invalid, you must compare the no. of active cases and new infections too, can you tell me how many tests New Zealand are doing per day? It certainly will be lower that countries that have 10000 + new infections per day, active cases keep dropping in Japan, and the infectious nature of this virus makes it impossible to hide it if infections are rapidly on the rise, though the numbers may not be accurate, just like any other country, focus should rather be on putting measures in place that will reduce the rate of spread through contact tracing, fighting this virus requires a lot of manpower, so allocating resources well is equally important, they haven’t done it perfectly like we all hope for, but the direction it’s going isn’t bad either

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Where it's likely 10 times higher than reported in other nations, it's likely 100 or more times higher in Japan.

If that's true then severe cases and deaths are likely to be 100x higher as well.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ashley, please contact your city ward office, they will guide you through to help you get the loan, from what you wrote, you do qualify, contact your city ward office as soon as possible

0 ( +0 / -0 )

justasking

May 12  06:37 pm JST

We don't need it. We still have the 20,000 test daily capacity from PCR. Accumulated over a month, that's 600,000 tests unused tests. Why do we need more?

Maybe to be able to test at point of care. Or do drive thru or door to door testing that can be processed onsite.

Also to ramp up test capacity. If capacity is 20000 per day a month ago and it wasn't ramped up, it will still be 20000 today.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

HBJ, Tokyo has an app called covid 19 with the green Tokyo logo on it, download it and you will get all the details there including the ages and sex of all who have tested positive

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The United States last week approved its first coronavirus antigen kit, one made by Quidel Corp.

To backstop a potential false negative, the FDA said in the release that all negative antigen tests should be confirmed with a PCR test — a common protocol for antigen testing of other infections.

Confirmed positive would certainly get sick people treated faster (& potentially save lives). Negative folks could go home (& still isolate to) wait for the PCR results. Not ideal but better. Baby steps are certainly better than no steps... imho...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If I have contracted the virus as many people do, yet remain asymptomatic, then why should I need to worry about being reinfected, presumably possessing antibodies?

This is why testing multiple times and without preset conditions should available for those that wish to be tested.

If any testing kits have been produced and adequately checked for false results then there should not be a problem.

I would be quite happy to pay for such a test for peace of mind...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

OK, lets see how this unfolds

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Ashley

I think you are 100% eligible

If you have been filing your tax returns you should get 1m

Ask an account of call the kuyakysho

All the best

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Part or the current problem with testing is that many/most of the private tests out there are not very accurate, and either produce a high number of false positives or false negatives. Neither of which is helpful.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

If only these kits could sold over the counter for those wishing to check themselves without the rigmarole of several hospital visits and finally a visit to a government run facility.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

No tests, no results, positive or negative, and when Japan is doing 1/20th or less than other countries (probably 1/100th of SK), it cannot brag about having a low rate of infection. Where it's likely 10 times higher than reported in other nations, it's likely 100 or more times higher in Japan.

People making claims about what it 'likely' is, likely have no clue what they're talking about.

There's no 'likely' about it - it's purely speculation. You could as accurately say that it's likely the entire Japanese population has it. That is to say, it wouldn't be accurate at all.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

"Tokyo confirmed 28 new cases of coronavirus infection on Tuesday, marking the seventh straight day the daily tally has stayed below 40."

No tests, no results, positive or negative, and when Japan is doing 1/20th or less than other countries (probably 1/100th of SK), it cannot brag about having a low rate of infection. Where it's likely 10 times higher than reported in other nations, it's likely 100 or more times higher in Japan.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Marcelito, glad it’s not just me.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Its mid May....I asked my wife about the 10 man yen she said the application will be in the mail next month

It takes ten minutes to apply online.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Tokyo confirmed 28 new cases of coronavirus infection on Tuesday, marking the seventh straight day the daily tally has stayed below 40.

Again, this stat is meaningless if it isn't accompanied by the total number of tests.

28 positives from 30 tests is very different to 28 positives from 1,000 tests.

The most recent data I can find is from May 7th, when Tokyo conducted 65 PCR tests.

Even if they've ramped the testing up to 80, 28/80 = 35%.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Having the capacity to do many antigen tests doesn't mean that they will actually carry out many of those tests. Let's be rational: the prefectures are setting guidelines right now for easing the restrictions. One of the conditions which have to be met (in Osaka for example) are a low number of untracable infections. It's clear that infections both tracable and untracable will spike when many of those antigen tests are carried out. This would be a disaster for the national and regional governments. There is absolutely no political will to detect the true numbers and, as a result, maybe have to put restrictions on the economy again unless they could justify it with a second wave, let's say in autumn.

Also, to those always accusing people who complain about Japan's coronavirus response of wishing Japan a more severe situation: I'm sure nobody wants that and everybody would be happy if this ends as soon as possible. I think many people just don't want the Japanese government to get away with this. The approach of the government totally lacks transparency regarding the true state of infections and this seems to be mainly based on a non-existing willingness to make it transparent. Somebody would expect that from an autocratic state but not from a democratic state. That's what gives many people from stable democracies a feeling of discomfort, even if the virus response is bad in their home countries as well. The situation in Japan doesn't change because of that.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Did I misread things? These tests are made by a Japanese company? Did the government withhold testing so a Japanese company could profit of this or? I mean we’ve seen Abe certainly “rewarding” his mates with this all so I can’t help but suspect once again, the government has refused to use things because they weren’t Japanese.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Worried that they are just "considering" to use them. Similar tests have been available for months. But they were not produced in Japan, so I guess they made their choice: nationalism instead of saving lives.

@Thatperson

The tests can detect the virus quickly but produce false negatives at a higher rate than the currently dominant PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, tests.

....NEXT!!!

False negatives are fine (no test is 100% perfect). The goal of these tests is not to tell you that you are not infected but to detect people which are (or have been). Even if the test was 100% accurate, testing negatively wouldn't prevent you to get it later.

False positives are more problematic but it doesn't look like those tests have a lot of cases like that.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

We don't need it. We still have the 20,000 test daily capacity from PCR. Accumulated over a month, that's 600,000 tests unused tests. Why do we need more?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Better late than never. C'mon lads, ye can do better than this.

I asked my wife about the 10 man yen

Do tell...

5 ( +5 / -0 )

That took some time.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

The tests can detect the virus quickly but produce false negatives at a higher rate than the currently dominant PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, tests.

....NEXT!!!

7 ( +8 / -1 )

They already have a record of producing false negative results. Well played Japan!!Let’s wait and see how it gonna unfold!

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Yes, the numbers mentioned do seem scary and my sympathies to the family and friends who lost loved ones but we should also try to see the bright side and offer a since of hope now and then. So, let's not forget to mention that on May 4th we were at 9,814 Active cases whereas today we are at 6,358. That's a 3,456 active cases less than just a week ago.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Cmon Japan lets get a bit more on the ball here! I’m embarassed at our inaptitude at times!

My wife has already got a check from Mr Trump in the mail, and I a citizen have got no Abenomask, no benefits application form even.

And its suppossed to maybe come next month???

Next month the corona virus will be mostly history

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Need to use them. Not just have them sit on a shelf.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

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