Comparative analyses of eighteen rapid antigen tests and RT-PCR for COVID-19 quarantine and surveillance-based isolation.

Previous research on SARS-CoV-2 infection has determined optimal timing for testing in quarantine and the utility of different frequencies of testing for infection surveillance using RT-PCR and generalized rapid antigen tests. However, these strategies can depend on the specific rapid antigen test used. By examining 18 rapid antigen tests, we demonstrate that a single rapid antigen test performs better than RT-PCR when quarantines are two days or less in duration. In the context of infection surveillance, the ability of a rapid antigen test to provide results quickly counteracts its lower sensitivity with potentially more false positives. Our findings indicate that rapid antigen tests can be a suitable alternative to RT-PCR for application in quarantine and infection surveillance.