Testing and Vaccination: Keys to Mitigating the Spread of Covid-19

At the height of the pandemic, governments all over the world rushed to implement a variety of safety measures to curb the spreading of the Coronavirus. The first attempt focused on non-pharmaceutical safety measures such as lockdown, mask-wearing, and social distancing. Soon after, pharmaceutical measures such as Covid-19 vaccinations and testing took center stage.  

The spread of Covid-19 is finally under control as more people adhere to testing and vaccination practices. Testing is able to track verified cases and connections which is very helpful during an outbreak. From the onset of administering the Covid-19 vaccine, it has played a critical role in reducing transmission and the severe effects of SARS-CoV-2 infections by creating mass immunity to reduce the risk of becoming infected by Covid-19.  

 COVID-19 TESTS 

There are two types of Covid-19 tests for detecting active Coronavirus cases: 

 PCR Test 

 A PCR Test (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is an antigen test used to detect the Coronavirus and identify if someone has an active case of the Covid-19 virus. The advantage of the PCR test is that it is highly accurate, with only a 30% rate of false negatives. However, PCR samples need to be sent out to a lab, so results can take 2-3 days to receive. You can take the PCR Test after vaccination; it will not affect the results.  

Rapid Antigen Test 

The Rapid Antigen Test uses the lateral flow method and is a diagnostic method used to detect the presence of the Corona virus’s antigens to determine if you have COVID-19.  It is one of the fastest (and most reliable) Covid-19 tests that can give you reliable same-day results, often within 30 minutes.  You can take the antigen test after the vaccine without affecting the results.  

 Covid-19 Vaccines 

There are a variety of vaccines available. Consult your GP or clinician to understand which one is right for you. However, all have been government approved to be effective and safe.  

• Moderna vaccine 
• Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine 
• Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine 
• Janssen vaccine; This is not currently available 
• Novavax vaccine; This is equally not available  
• Valneva vaccine; This is also not available 

  Miles Pharmacy is a trusted UK pharmacy with locations throughout South London. We offer a full range of Covid-19 testing and Covid vaccinations. If you are getting the Covid-19 vaccine and test, you can be assured that the effectiveness of the Covid-19 test after receiving the vaccine is not compromised at all.  

Make your appointment online for a Covid test in Epsom or test for the Covid Fit to Fly Certificate in our Epsom branch