As the country continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, testing remains one of the keys to mitigating the virus and reopening the economy. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been rapidly reviewing and approving Emergency Use Authorizations (USA) to ensure adequate supply and infrastructure is in place across the country.

Diagnostic testing has become an important aspect of the response to COVID-19. Along with widely used standard PCR tests, an alternative COVID-19 antigen test has also been developed that is widely accepted by the medical community and the medical fraternity.

What is an antigen test?

Antigen tests are commonly used in the diagnosis of respiratory pathogens, including influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for antigen tests that can identify SARS-CoV-2. 

Antigen tests are immunoassays that detect the presence of a specific viral antigen, implying a current viral infection. Currently, antigen tests are licensed to be performed on nasopharyngeal or nasal swab specimens placed directly into the assay extraction buffer or reagent.

Propharma UK is now authorized to distribute these tests to healthcare providers in the UK to support continued management of the virus, which continues to paralyze the nation. They are registered with UK MHRA to supply approved in-vitro diagnostic medical devices, including COVID-19 test kits- Innovita COVID-19 Rapid Test Kit SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG Antibody Assay Kit, VivaDiag SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test, and SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Test.

VivaChek launched the VivaDiag antigen test in October. An earlier clinical study report, also released by the manufacturer, showed that the test detected if a person was infected with the COVID-19 pathogen by identifying SARS-CoV-2 antigens with an overall accuracy of 96%. You can now buy directly from the manufacturer of Rapid Antigen Tests from VivaDiag.