ECDC rapid assessment of laboratory practices and needs related to COVID-19

Surveillance and monitoring

18 Jan 2021

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This report assesses the current status of the EU/EEA and the UK COVID-19 laboratory response based on a short survey sent to all Member States and the UK.

Executive summary

EU/EEA Member States and the UK have increased their laboratory capacity tremendously over the past 11 months as the majority of the Member States reported sufficient testing capacity until March 2021.
Many countries are adding rapid antigen detection tests (RADT) to their testing strategies in order to reduce pressure on RT-PCR testing.
Some Member States have already included RADT in their case definition.
The main bottlenecks, such as shortages of laboratory consumables and human resources, as well as sample storing facilities, continue to exist and may affect the overall laboratory response to COVID-19.