Principle of Rapcov™ COVID-19 Rapid Test

Serological tests measure the amount of antibodies or proteins present in the blood when the body is responding to a specific infection, like COVID-19. In other words, the test detects the body’s immune response to the infection caused by the virus rather than detecting the virus itself. In the early days of an infection when the body’s immune response is still building, antibodies may not be detected. This limits the test’s effectiveness for diagnosing COVID-19 and why it should not be used as the sole basis to diagnose COVID-19.

When present in the patient sample, COVID-19 specific IgG antibodies bind to anti-human antibodies (IgG) immobilized in a line across the RapCov™ cassette membrane. Colloidal gold complexes containing recombinant COVID-19 nucleocapsid antigens are captured by the patient’s IgG antibodies to give a visible pink line. A procedural control is included to indicate that the assay has been performed correctly and is valid.