New paper on evaluation of the Austrian SARS-CoV-2 antigen-based screening programme published in Eurosurveillance
A large consortium with Michael Wagner as a senior author evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the mandatory antigen-based SARS-CoV-2 screening programme in Austrian schools (data from March 2021).
By using gargling-RT-qPCR data from a representative sample of 244 schools for comparison, we show that the antigen-based screening program has a very high specificity but only a low to moderate sensitivity. Thus, more than 70% of the infected pupils are overlooked by the antigen-testing programme and a considerable fraction of them is potentially infectious. Thus, as a mitigation measure, switching SARS-CoV-2 screening in schools to RT-qPCR based approaches should be preferred, where logistically feasible.
Links
- Publication in Eurosurveillance
- ORF Thema (Sep. 20, 2021)
- ORF Report (Sept. 7, 2021)
- Die Presse - extended interview (Sept. 10, 2021)
- Puls 24 Interview Sept. 7, 2021
- Wien Heute Interview, ORF 2, Sept. 6 2021
- ORF III Aktuell Interview, Sept. 6 2021
- Die Krone Bunt, 5. Sept. 2021
- Der Standard, Interview. 03.Sept. 2021
- Interview with Michael in ZIB2 (Aug. 25, 2021)
- Der Standard
- Kurier