[en] Since the emergence of COVID-19 in late 2019, the gold standard in testing for the disease has been a nuclear-derived technique: real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, or real-time RT–PCR. Fast and accurate, real-time RT–PCR has been critical in detecting, tracking and studying COVID-19. But what is it and how does it work? Let us explain.

[en] Since the emergence of COVID-19 in late 2019, the gold standard in testing for the disease has been a nuclear-derived technique: real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, or real-time RT–PCR. Fast and accurate, real-time RT–PCR has been critical in detecting, tracking and studying COVID-19. But what is it and how does it work? Let us explain.

[en] Since the emergence of COVID-19 in late 2019, the gold standard in testing for the disease has been a nuclear-derived technique: real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, or real-time RT–PCR. Fast and accurate, real-time RT–PCR has been critical in detecting, tracking and studying COVID-19. But what is it and how does it work? Let us explain.

[en] The primordial days of the COVID-19 outbreak led to a rapid surge in demand — and subsequent shortage — of many consumables, from household goods and protective equipment to the ingredients and substances needed to test for the virus. As the world grappled with the newfound need to mass-test for COVID-19, laboratories turned to real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT–PCR). Real time RT–PCR is the most accurate laboratory method to detect, track and study COVID-19 (see page 8 to learn more), however, its widespread use strained resources and led some laboratories to seek more readily available and cheaper alternatives. A study to test the performance and quality of some of these alternative resources was recently conducted by the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). Its results have implications for the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in developing countries and beyond.

[en] Since the emergence of COVID-19 in late 2019, the gold standard in testing for the disease has been a nuclear-derived technique: real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, or real-time RT–PCR. Fast and accurate, real-time RT–PCR has been critical in detecting, tracking and studying COVID-19. But what is it and how does it work? Let us explain.

[en] The primordial days of the COVID-19 outbreak led to a rapid surge in demand — and subsequent shortage — of many consumables, from household goods and protective equipment to the ingredients and substances needed to test for the virus. As the world grappled with the newfound need to mass-test for COVID-19, laboratories turned to real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT–PCR). Real time RT–PCR is the most accurate laboratory method to detect, track and study COVID-19 (see page 8 to learn more), however, its widespread use strained resources and led some laboratories to seek more readily available and cheaper alternatives. A study to test the performance and quality of some of these alternative resources was recently conducted by the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). Its results have implications for the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in developing countries and beyond.

[en] The primordial days of the COVID-19 outbreak led to a rapid surge in demand — and subsequent shortage — of many consumables, from household goods and protective equipment to the ingredients and substances needed to test for the virus. As the world grappled with the newfound need to mass-test for COVID-19, laboratories turned to real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT–PCR). Real time RT–PCR is the most accurate laboratory method to detect, track and study COVID-19 (see page 8 to learn more), however, its widespread use strained resources and led some laboratories to seek more readily available and cheaper alternatives. A study to test the performance and quality of some of these alternative resources was recently conducted by the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). Its results have implications for the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in developing countries and beyond.

[en] The primordial days of the COVID-19 outbreak led to a rapid surge in demand — and subsequent shortage — of many consumables, from household goods and protective equipment to the ingredients and substances needed to test for the virus. As the world grappled with the newfound need to mass-test for COVID-19, laboratories turned to real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT–PCR). Real time RT–PCR is the most accurate laboratory method to detect, track and study COVID-19 (see page 8 to learn more), however, its widespread use strained resources and led some laboratories to seek more readily available and cheaper alternatives. A study to test the performance and quality of some of these alternative resources was recently conducted by the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). Its results have implications for the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in developing countries and beyond.

[en] The primordial days of the COVID-19 outbreak led to a rapid surge in demand — and subsequent shortage — of many consumables, from household goods and protective equipment to the ingredients and substances needed to test for the virus. As the world grappled with the newfound need to mass-test for COVID-19, laboratories turned to real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT–PCR). Real time RT–PCR is the most accurate laboratory method to detect, track and study COVID-19 (see page 8 to learn more), however, its widespread use strained resources and led some laboratories to seek more readily available and cheaper alternatives. A study to test the performance and quality of some of these alternative resources was recently conducted by the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). Its results have implications for the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in developing countries and beyond.

[en] The primordial days of the COVID-19 outbreak led to a rapid surge in demand — and subsequent shortage — of many consumables, from household goods and protective equipment to the ingredients and substances needed to test for the virus. As the world grappled with the newfound need to mass-test for COVID-19, laboratories turned to real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT–PCR). Real time RT–PCR is the most accurate laboratory method to detect, track and study COVID-19 (see page 8 to learn more), however, its widespread use strained resources and led some laboratories to seek more readily available and cheaper alternatives. A study to test the performance and quality of some of these alternative resources was recently conducted by the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). Its results have implications for the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in developing countries and beyond.