A healthcare professional, takes test material from the patient. It is not necessary to use laboratory systems. The results are known in only 15 minutes.
The test results are intended to assist in the initial screening and early diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in workers who show clinical signs of SARS-CoV-2 or may have been in contact with someone.
The SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Point of Care test also detects virus in asymptomatic cases. So you don't have to have any symptoms to get the test.
The test has a sensitivity of 96.52% and a specificity of 99.68% (based on 426 samples from two independent study centers in India and Brazil).
The test can usually reveal whether a person is a carrier of the SARS-COV-2 virus within 15 minutes. It is also a valuable initial screening for individuals who have been exposed to those infected with the virus and who come from a high risk environment, such as code orange or red areas.
The advantages of the SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test are:
Get results fast (results are available in 15 minutes)
Suitable for use in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals
Easy to use for a nurse
No laboratory instrument needed.
Decentralized testing or access to testing possible in areas where laboratory testing is not available
Roche is in close contact with its international organisation to ensure that as many tests as possible are brought to the Netherlands in the numbers we need. They are also consulting with the government about their wishes in relation to the purchase of tests. Depending on the final allocation to the Netherlands, the tests will be distributed. This will be done in close consultation with the LCDK and the OMT so that the tests can be deployed quickly in the right place.
In addition to the Rapid Antigen test, Roche launched the SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antibody Test in July 2020, which can help healthcare professionals identify patients who have developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, indicative of previous infection.
