Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - As New York State continues to issue new guidance for different industries' ability to operate under restrictions, testing has been a frequent factor in ability to reopen.
For weddings and other catered events, all guests will be required to have a negative Covid test - rapid or PCR lab. A rapid or PCR test can also be used in cases where a negative test is needed for visitation in a nursing home located in an area with a Covid transmission rate of over 5%.
For sporting events and other entertainment in large arenas though, the state requires a negative PCR test. Rapid testing is not an option.
What's the difference between the two?
"We know the rapid tests are truly meant for people who are symptomatic," said Dr. Bruce Troen from the Jacobs School of Medicine. "It turns out that false negatives and false positives are much higher with people who are asymptomatic. There's one study that says as few as 40% of people who are asymptomatic are detected by the rapid test."
Troen said because of those discrepancies, the PCR test would be the preferred test to get, but the delay in getting results presents problems in making them feasible for using. The ideal use of rapid testing, he said, would to have everyone be able to take that test at their homes on a daily basis.
As for the Sabres, Troen said he had no real insight as to why only a PCR test is acceptable, but said that lack of a cost-efficient readily available supply of rapid tests could be the reason.
"Rapid testing should work for a Sabres game, too," Dr. Troen said. "So many things contributing to the decisions that are being made are hopefully in the best interest of the public, but are fashioned by the limitations of what we have available to us."