COVID-19 has spread globally since its discovery in Hubei province, China in December 2019. Widespread testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus is important to both slow the virus and gain information about how widespread it is in the world. But a second aspect of testing has gotten less attention: accuracy. It’s surprisingly hard to determine how accurate a coronavirus test is. There are two main types of test in use. The first is a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction test, or RT-PCR. This is the most common diagnostic test used to identify people currently infected with SARS-CoV-2. It works by detecting viral RNA in a person’s cells – most often collected from their nose. The second test being used is called a serological or antibody test. This test looks at a person’s blood to see if they’ve produced antibodies for the coronavirus. If a test finds these antibodies, it means a person was infected and made antibodies in response. The tropic will provide a short discussion about RT-PCR and serological test of COVID-19 disease.

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