Rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2: their sensitivity, benefits for epidemic control, and use in Austrian schools

Polechov'a, Jitka; Johnson, Kory D.; Payne, Pavel; Crozier, Alex; Beiglbock, Mathias; Plevka, Pavel; Schernhammer, Eva

Rapid antigen tests detect proteins at the surface of virus particles, identifying the disease during its infectious phase. In contrast, PCR tests detect viral genomes: they can thus diagnose COVID-19 before the infectious phase but also react to remnants of the virus genome, even weeks after live virus ceases to be detectable in the respiratory tract. Furthermore, the logistics for administering the tests are different. In this article, we discuss the relative advantages of the different testing procedures and summarise evidence that shows that using antigen tests 2-3 times per week could become a powerful tool to suppress the COVID-19 pandemic. We also discuss the results of recent large-scale rapid antigen testing in Austrian schools.