• Less sensitive than PCR assays. Antigen tests are not as sensitive as PCR tests, and false negatives can cause real problems. A negative antigen test should always be considered presumptive, but still gives patients and caregivers a false sense of security. These tests may not

As of August 27, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued 3 Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for COVID-19 tests to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigens in patient samples. The two main assays currently used in the United States for SARS-CoV-2 include molecular (PCR) assa