The Benefits of a Rapid Antigen Test
                     The Benefits of a Rapid Antigen Test 
The Benefits of a Rapid Antigen Test 
A rapid antigen test is one of the most effective ways to test for Covid-19. This 
method has gained widespread acceptance as an alternative method for 
diagnosis of Covid-19 outside of health care settings. As of January 2022, every 
household in the United States of America was eligible to order four free at-home 
rapid antigen tests by mail using covidtests.gov.
Rapid tests differ from molecular tests like RT-PCR test because they are designed 
to detect the presence of viral proteins using simple immunochromatography 
methods, which are commonly referred to as lateral flow assays. 
The Benefits of a Rapid Antigen Test 
The rapid antigen tests target the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein, which is the 
most abundant protein expressed by the virus. They directly assess for the 
presence of viral proteins, which makes them different from serology tests that 
look for antibodies that are produced by the host in response to the infection. 
Thus, rapid antigen tests can be used to assess for acute infection only, not prior 
infection or response to vaccination.
Using rapid antigen test to test for coronavirus has a number of advantages over 
molecular assays. One of them benefits is that testing can be deployed outside of 
hospital laboratories, and many can be performed by members of the general 
public. 
The Benefits of a Rapid Antigen Test 
These tests are relatively cheaper compared to RT-PCR tests and are simple to 
interpret. They have a turnaround time as fast as 15 minutes, which allows for 
testing prior to entrance into congregate care facilities or other public settings. 
They are compatible with samples taken from the anterior nares rather than the 
nasopharynx, which makes them more comfortable for serial testing.
Right now, there are more than 45 antigen tests approved by FDA for use in 
health care facilities, including 17 tests that are cleared for use at home. FDA 
maintains an up-to-date list of rapid Covid-19 tests available in the United States; 
The Benefits of a Rapid Antigen Test 
performance reviews have been published in the New England Journal of 
Medicine (Drain, January 2022 [PDF]).
For more information on the benefits of a rapid antigen test, visit our website at 
https://www.harleymedic.co.uk/. Looking for more info, you can also check out 
https://officialrapidtests.com/.  
The Benefits of a Rapid Antigen Test