ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the existing paradigms of diagnosis in molecular biology. RT-PCR, from nasopharyngeal swab, has emerged as the gold standard for diagnosis. It is time consuming, expensive, and technically difficult. Rapid antigen tests have been tried extensively because of their quick turnaround time. Serological tests that detect antibodies against the virus are useful to detect past infections.
So, while “universal testing” seems to be an attractive proposition to detect all cases and isolate them, this may be practically impossible due to resource and financial constraints. Different countries have eked out different paths in this pandemic. Prior preparedness and public trust seem to be the key determinants of a successful testing strategy.
