SARS-CoV-2 RNA (RT PCR COVID-19)

• The result is available in two languages, Polish and English
• The result can be available online or in paper form at any checkup point
• The result is ready the next day

About the Test

The nose swab PCR test for COVID-19 is accurate and reliable for diagnosing COVID-19. 

Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based diagnostic tests (which detect fragments of the virus) are considered the gold standard for detecting current SARS-CoV-2 infection. A positive test means you likely have COVID-19. A negative test means you probably did not have COVID-19 at the test time. 

Clinicians typically diagnose respiratory infection by viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 by directly detecting viral nucleic acid or protein in respiratory tract specimens. The two most frequently used tools are polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and rapid antigen-based tests. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, reverse-transcriptase PCR tests were the first to be developed and widely deployed.  

Purpose of the test

RT-PCR test to confirm coronavirus infection SARS-CoV-2 is performed in certain situations:

• confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in people with symptoms characteristic of infection (e.g., fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, loss, or loss of smell and/or taste);

• asymptomatic individuals with known or suspected contact with a COVID-19 case;  

• symptomless individuals when the results will impact isolation/quarantine/personal protective equipment usage decisions, dictate eligibility for surgery, or inform the administration of immunosuppressive therapy;

Importantly, the reliability of the result depends on the correct collection of the sample material for testing, as well as the time of collection (test time from infection/symptoms). It is known that the highest concentration of virus in the human nasopharynx is in the first week after the first symptoms indicating a possible infection.

How is a PCR test different from a COVID-19 antigen?

While PCR and antigen  tests both check for signs of an active SARS-CoV-2 infection, there are important differences between them:

• A PCR test looks for traces of the virus’s genetic material instead of proteins found on the outside of the virus.

• A PCR can be conducted on a sample taken from your nose, throat, or saliva, but antigen tests are performed on samples from your nose or behind the nose.

• While both are available as both laboratory and point-of-care tests, antigen tests are more frequently used for point-of-care testing.

• Antigen tests generally cost less than PCR tests.

• PCR tests are considered to be more accurate and may be used to confirm the results of an antigen test.