The Health Information and Quality Authority has published a rapid health technology assessment (HTA) of alternative diagnostic testing methods for detecting Covid-19, as requested by the National Public Health Emergency Team.

HIQA said the assessment identified a wide range of diagnostic tests, both in development and already commercialised.

However, it said that before these tests can be adopted, as part of a national testing strategy, they will need to be independently clinically validated, locally verified, with ongoing review as part of a comprehensive quality assurance programme.

HIQA said that the current test, real-time RT-PCR, remains the ‘gold standard’ test for detecting and confirming Covid-19 cases.