Filenews 18 November 2020 - by Marilena Panagi
After the molecular examination for the coronavirus, the use of rapid-tests, the "rapid antigen diagnosis" tests, which since last week is also used by the Ministry of Health of Cyprus, in its effort to identify as many positive people as possible in the virus and to proceed first to their isolation and then to the elimination of transmission chains in Cypriot society.
The advantage of rapid diagnostic tests, compared to molecular examination, is the speed of the occurrence of results which enables more people to be screened in a shorter period of time.
The process of taking a sample and the 'philosophy' of the two methods do not differ in substance. However, rapid diagnostic tests appear to lag somewhat behind their reliability compared to molecular examination of samples.
This is why all people who have a positive result, after a rapid-test, are then subjected to a molecular examination in order to provide safe confirmation since there is the possibility of a false diagnosis. At the same time people with a negative indication in the rapid diagnosis test are recommended to be examined over three to five days.
Already several countries, including Greece and Italy, have gone on to purchase large quantities for targeted tests in places where there is a large spread of the virus for quick results.
