Automated High-throughput SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Testing in the Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Siemens Healthineers Position

To appreciably interrupt transmission and reduce incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, continued options for diagnostic testing are needed. Automated high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing provides an additional testing option with sensitive detection and expedient delivery of results that complements existing diagnostic testing programs by supporting expansion into large, and largely untested, asymptomatic populations. By supporting the vast increase in testing necessary to drive down community transmission and mitigate selective pressure on vaccination efforts, Siemens Healthineers supports automated high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 antigen assay use in a unique and complementary role to other diagnostic testing.

A new educational paper discusses how lab-based testing can scale in response to demand. Read the position paper to learn how:

• Frequent, serial testing of broad populations can help identify emergent asymptomatic infections to limit community spread.
• Workflow, accuracy, turnaround time, and results reporting are important considerations in implementing a large-scale testing strategy.
• Assay design affects detection of variants, such as the highly infectious Delta and Omicron variants, which have the potential to affect vaccination efforts.