In this article we examine how standard polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) based testing for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)
works, explore the new CRISPR-based tests under development and the
new rapid point-of-care tests being rolled out, and consider the
initiatives by governments and medical device regulators to
fast-track the availability of SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests.
Diagnostic testing capacity has emerged as a key limitation of
our ability to contain SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus
responsible for COVID-19 disease. Regulatory barriers and shortages
of test kits have impeded effective scale-up of SARS-CoV-2 testing.
In response to this health crisis the World Health Organization
(WHO) has a simple message for all countries:
"test, test, test".1 Now governments,
regulatory agencies and laboratory-diagnostic and biotechnology
companies are responding with multiple new SARS-CoV-2 tests being
fast-tracked for use, and production of test kits and reagents
being
