COVID-19 Detection Kits

The antibody test kits detect the presence of antibodies that have been produced by the host that has been infected by COVID-19 virus whether the infected subject has or has not had symptoms. With such kits, antibodies against COVID-19 can be detected directly in blood and saliva samples.
These test kits use a lateral flow assay technology which results can be obtained in 10 to 15 minutes after sample collection and which handling and results interpretation do not require a health professional or trained staff.

COVID-19 detection by qRT-PCR uses extracted RNA from throat or nasal swab samples. The viral RNA is reverse transcribed to cDNA which is in turn amplified with SARS-CoV-2 genes specific primers. This detection method reveals the presence of the virus itself and can only be performed on a qPCR platform located in a specialised laboratory and operated by trained technicians. The results are usually available within 24 hours. A positive result indicates that the sample host carries the virus and is potentially contagious.