COVID 19 Antigen Test With EU Digital Travel Certificate

A COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test is a lateral flow immunoassay. Embedded into the test strip are antibodies that bind to the COVID-19 virus. An individual nasal swab is taken from the participant. The sample is mixed with specific reagents and then added to one end of the test cassette. The sample flows along the test strip and interacts with detecting antibodies. If the patient has contracted COVID-19 (the Antigen), the biomarkers bind to the virus on the test strip, leaving a visible test line. If the patient does not have COVID-19, no biomarker is present.

The result of the test can be detected by the use of a specific test reader or by visual analysis based on the cassette type. The test gives a qualitative yes/no result within 20 minutes.