Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests

Abstract

Point-of-care antigen tests (PoC-AgTs) for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection enable screening of additional populations with less effort, independent of laboratories and at a low cost. PoC-AgTs have therefore been included in national testing strategies with additional quality requirements to address limitations in specificity and sensitivity. Information given in the package inserts of the test providers should enable the user to evaluate the performance of a PoC-AgT in advance. The quality of this information has been independently assessed since the Corona Test Ordinance came into force in Germany in October 2020.

Keywords

• antigen testing
• national testing strategy
• point-of-care test (poct)
• rapid test
• sars-cov-2 diagnostics