Rapid Antigen Test +
A rapid antigen test (RAT), sometimes called a rapid antigen detection test (RADT), antigen rapid test (ART), or often even just a rapid test, is a rapid diagnostic test suitable for point-of-care testing that directly detects the presence or absence of an antigen. It is commonly used for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Rapid tests are a type of lateral flow tests that detect antigens, distinguishing it from other medical tests that detect antibodies (antibody tests) or nucleic acid (nucleic acid tests), of either laboratory or point-of-care types. Rapid tests generally give a result in 5 to 30 minutes, require minimal training or infrastructure, and have significant cost advantages. For many years, an early and major class of RATs, the rapid strep tests for streptococci, were so often the referent when RATs or RADTs were mentioned that the 2 latter terms were often loosely treated as synonymous with those; today, more precise usage is advisable, as other major classes of RATs are just as important.
TGA Information: https://www.tga.gov.au/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia
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