Research shows that rapid antigen tests are performing as well at detecting the most recent dominant variants as they did with the earliest strains in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who’s a good doggie? Sniffer dogs might one day be able to screen people for COVID-19 in large crowds. But not when they’re hungry or need a good lie down.
Over the approaching holidays, people around the world will want to travel to see friends and family. Getting tested for the coronavirus can make this safer, but testing alone is not a perfect answer.
Sheena G. Sullivan, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza dan Jennifer MacLachlan, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
A man in the Northern Territory recently received a “weak positive” test result for COVID-19. Understanding how coronavirus tests work shows us why this can happen from time to time.
Katherine Gibney, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity; Deborah Williamson, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, dan Jodie McVernon, The University of Melbourne
A new test, which can diagnose COVID-19 in 15 minutes, has been approved by the TGA. But it’s no silver bullet.
Zoë McLaren, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
The new BinaxNOW antigen test is quick, easy, accurate and cheap. It could solve the US testing problem, but the emergency use authorization only allows people with COVID-19 symptoms to get tested.
COVID-19 tests rely on a process developed at a biotech company co-founded by a Canadian. Canada’s current testing expertise needs to be channelled to prepare for the next wave, and the next pandemic.
Zoë McLaren, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Ideally everyone could get tested frequently for the coronavirus. No state is close to achieving this, but some are doing better than others. What are the challenges in meeting demand for testing?
COVID-19 antibody tests can’t replace the use of PCR tests in people showing symptoms. But they can help test people who may be infected and asymptomatic.