WHO Delivers 40,000 Rapid Antigen Tests for COVID-19 to Armenia

The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered and transferred 40,000 rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 to the Ministry of Health of Armenia, capable of detecting the active SARS-CoV-2 infection in the human body within a short period of time.

Antigen tests remain the only type of rapid diagnostic tests that can be used for diagnosing COVID-19. Only a few of these test types have passed the necessary validations. Laboratories must cautiously select which tests to employ, ensuring that the tests used meet quality control requirements.

Rapid testing aids in the timely detection, isolation, and management of COVID-19 patients, which is crucial for controlling the pandemic throughout the country. However, it is not applicable in all situations; only healthcare workers and public health professionals can determine in which scenarios and stages of the disease reliable results can be shown.

At the same time, these antigen tests have several advantages: they are easily transportable, simple to use, and make reliable testing accessible to a larger number of people. The guidelines published by the WHO highlight the importance of these tests, particularly in areas where the infection is widespread, and where PCR testing is not possible or requires longer time to obtain results.