UPDATED 22 MARCH 2022
Principles of COVID-19 testing:
COVID-19 testing is most important in symptomatic individuals due to infection risk.
Rapid Antigen Tests have a high rate of false positive rates in asymptomatic people when the community prevalence is low. Rapid Antigen Tests should therefore be reserved for symptomatic individuals.
Positive Rapid Antigen Tests should always be confirmed by a PCR in HCWs and hospitalised patients.
PCR tests may return positive results for weeks after the acute infection when the person is no longer infectious. Therefore, PCR tests should not be used on asymptomatic people for at least 8 weeks after they are cleared from COVID-19.
The table below outlines the most appropriate COVID-19 testing method and frequency for different patient and employee groups, to help ensure accurate and timely results.
| Group | Test | When/Frequency |
| Patients | ||
| Emergency Department | Rapid Antigen | Symptomatic admissions |
| PCR | Symptomatic presentations | |
| All Overnight Admissions | Rapid Antigen | Symptomatic admissions |
| PCR | All admissions | |
| Dialysis, day infusions and day cases | Rapid Antigen | Symptomatic presentations |
| Close contacts in hospital | PCR | D0 and D6 |
| PCR | If symptomatic | |
| Symptomatic on ward | PCR | If symptomatic |
| Pre-operative elective admissions | PCR | Pre-op screening 48 hours prior. Don’t isolate. |
| Pre-operative emergency admissions | Rapid Antigen | Symptomatic presentations |
| PCR | All admissions | |
| Parents/guardians/carers | ||
| All parents/guardians/carers that will be present throughout an overnight or longer admission | RAT | If symptomatic |
| Employees | ||
| All voluntary surveillance | PCR | 3 times week |
| Close contacts with exemptions | Rapid Antigen | 5 times week |
| Symptomatic staff | Rapid Antigen or PCR | Symptomatic staff |