Article Hero

Japan is ready to approve Covid-19 antigen kits

1589274211.jpg
Miguel A. Rodriguez
Miguel A. Rodriguez
14 September 2020
Wednesday, Japan is said to approve the Covid-19 antigen to increase the number of tests.

The Japanese Ministry of Health is said to green-light a local antigen maker, Fujirebio, to boost the number of available diagnostic tests. It would be the nation's first antigen kit for the Coronavirus. Public insurance programs will cover the kit costs.

Fujirebio will start producing 200,000 tests per week. The number could go up if needed. The antigen kits work by detecting virus proteins from mucus. It is more practical than regular tests because the result is showed immediately. The downside is that the kit can show false negatives at a higher rate than the regular checks. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are very accurate when delivering the result, but up until now, only 9,000 people per day were tested. The government’s target was 20,000 daily.  

The antigen tests will be used in hospitals, in emergency rooms, and probably in airports as the containment measures ease, and also in infection clusters.

The test can be adopted as a screening test: if positive when tested with the antigen the person will be diagnosed as infected. If the person is negative but has symptoms, PCR tests will be conducted.

Fujirebio is not the only one producing the kits. Denka, another local manufacturer, is working on developing a similar kit. Companies are driven by the health ministry's desire to have as many tests as possible available. From the initial goal of 20,000 daily, the number should increase to 400,000 people a week. By doing this, the ministry hopes to determine the approximate number of infections in the country, because at the moment, it’s difficult to trace the virus, as various hospital facilities collapsed.  

See the difference when trading with CAPEX.com by accessing elite features:  

  • Stellar custom service 
  • Powerful WebTrader platform and mobile app 
  • High-end integrated trading tools  
  • Full license and regulation from top regulators

Sources: reuters.com, investing.com, asia.nikkei.com

This information/research prepared by Miguel A. Rodriguez does not take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any particular person. The research analyst primarily responsible for the content of this research report, in part or in whole, certifies that the views about the companies and their securities expressed in this report accurately reflect his/her personal views and consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk.The research provided does not constitute the views of KW Investments Ltd nor is it an invitation to invest with KW Investments Ltd. The research analyst also certifies that no part of his/her compensation was, is, or will be, directly, or indirectly, related to specific recommendations or views expressed in this report.The research analyst in not employed by KW Investments Ltd. You are encouraged to seek advice from an independent financial adviser regarding the suitability of the investment, under a separate engagement, as you deem fit that conforms to your specific investment objectives, financial situation, or particular financial needs before making a commitment to invest. The laws of the Republic of Seychelles shall govern any claim relating to or arising from the contents of the information/ research provided. 

Share this article

How did you find this article?

Awful
Ok
Great
Awesome

Read More

Miguel A. Rodriguez
Miguel A. Rodriguez
Financial Writer

Miguel worked for major financial institutions such as Banco Santander, and Banco Central-Hispano. He is a published author of currency trading books.