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“We know that the omikron variant is much more contagious than the previous variants, such as the delta variant, for example,” explains Verhasselt. “That variant also builds up faster in the nose and throat, which means that the viral load, the production of the virus, increases faster.” As a result, the omikron variant is more contagious than the previous variants, and it is possible that someone who does not yet test positive in the morning, is contagious by the evening. That is why it is important that you take a self-test at the right time, ie shortly before meeting other people. “Then you can detect the virus with the most sensitivity,” it sounds.
In addition, it is also important to respect the correct waiting time when you want to read the result of your self-test, the microbiologist knows. “If you read the test too late, you can sometimes see a false positive result,” explains Verhasselt. Most Covid-19 self-tests have a waiting time of 15 minutes, although it is best to check the information leaflet in the package. “Follow that time too, and don’t do it hours later, because then you might be in for a surprise,” he concludes.