Countries turn to rapid antigen tests to contain second wave of COVID-19

Countries turn to rapid antigen tests to contain second wave of COVID-19

Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) now recommends antigen tests to complement existing molecular PCR tests, which have become the standard for assessing active infections but which have also suffered shortages as the pandemic overwhelmed laboratories and outstripped manufacturers' production capacity.PCR tests detect genetic material in the virus while antigen tests detect proteins on the virus's surface, though both are meant to pick up active infections. Another type of test, for antibodies the body produces in response to an infection, can help tell if somebody has had COVID-19 in the past.Like PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, antigen tests require an uncomfortable nasal swab. They can also produce more "false negatives", prompting some experts to recommend they only be used in a pinch.Still, the alarming rise in new infections globally has health