New Delhi: As the world is reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic, medical terminologies like rapid antibodies test, RT-PCR test, hotspots and containment zones have come into focus.
Doctors explain for the common man what these testing and containment terminologies mean. Two kinds of diagnostic tests are being currently used in India -- RT-PCR test and rapid antibodies test, as per the global health norms.
A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is a laboratory technique combining reverse transcription of RNA into DNA that detects the virus while the antibody tests, which use blood, detect the body's response to the virus, experts said. "In RT-PCR, it is tested if the virus is present or not.