Everything You Need To Know About Rapid Antigen Testing For Travel
Also known as RATs, rapid antigen tests are taken with a front of nose swab to detect the presence of specific proteins from the Covid-19 virus. This test is often used interchangeably by people with RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction), which apparently is not right. You see, rapid antigen testing for travel is different from RT-PCR, which detects genetic material from the virus called RNA. Samples used for RT-PCR tests are collected with nasopharyngeal swabs – a combination of oral and nasal swabs. The Use of RATs during the Omicron Outbreak RATs have proved themselves useful during the Omicron outbreak. RAT results come faster than the PCR tests. That was critical in managing Omicron once it was widespread in the worldwide community. A RAT result is available around 20 minutes from the time when the sample was collected. RATs are extremely useful for the detection of Covid-19 when someone’s viral load is high when individuals are most infectious. The...