Country’s 78 hospitals, laboratories and research organisations have been accorded permission to conduct antigen tests for detecting Covid-19 infection. They will be able to charge Tk 700 for each antigen test.

However, additional Tk 500 will have to pay them if they have to collect sample visiting home. But, they will not be able to take more than Tk 500 if they collect samples from more than one person visiting home.

Dr Md Farid Uddin Mia, Director of the Directorate General of Health Services (Hospitals and Clinics), sent letters to the approved hospitals and laboratories in this regard on Sunday.

“These organisations submitted applications seeking permission for antigen tests. We gave them some conditions and they fulfilled those. Because of it, we gave approval to them,” he said.

The COVID-19 antigen test uses a swab to take a sample from nostril or the area at the back of the nose. The role of antigen tests is to determine if a person has COVID-19.

Antigen tests for COVID-19 are fast and easy – and could solve the coronavirus testing problem despite being somewhat inaccurate

The technicians check for specific proteins on the outside surface of the virus called antigens in a test sample. The presence of these antigens is a sign of an active infection. For COVID-19, molecular tests like the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR or just PCR) are considered the gold standard for diagnosis. When those tests are unavailable, an antigen test can be used for diagnosis in people who have symptoms.