Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financing
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Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the reference laboratory method of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, though requiring equipment, is time-consuming. There is a crucial demand for rapid techniques such as antigen detection test during the pandemic. This study assessed whether a rapid antigen detection (RAD) test was an effective and essential method for the early diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The probability of public screening at home and the application of RAD during the novel SARS-CoV-2 outbreak were also topics of interest. ⋯ We concluded that RAD could be a quick and feasible method to identify individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 from non-contagious individuals during the COVID-19 outbreak. A RAD test was an effective and essential method for the early diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic.