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COVID-19 testing involves analysing samples that indicate the present or past presence of SARS-CoV-2. The two main branches detect either the presence of the virus or antibodies produced in response to infection. Tests for viral presence are used to diagnose illness and to allow public health authorities to identify and contain outbreaks as quickly as possible. Antibody tests instead support attempts to estimate the prevalence of disease within a population. Another, speculative use is to identify individuals who the antibodies have rendered immune to the disease, although research has yet to confirm that a positive test confers such immunity. Individual jurisdictions have adopted a broad range of testing protocols. They vary in choosing whom to test, how often to test, analysis protocols, sample collection and the uses of test results. This variation has likely significantly impacted countries' reported statistics, including case fatality rates and the age distribution of cases, due to sampling bias. Testing is often performed in automated, high-throughput centralized medical laboratories by medical laboratory scientists. Alternatively, point-of-care testing can be done in physician's offices, workplaces or transit hubs.
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