Get a Free Antigen in Our Caprisa Study

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Our Free Antigen AND Confirmatory PCR Tests Are Temporarily Paused

Please Note, You Must Have COVID-19 Symptoms or Have been Exposed to Take Part

To sign up, you must ask our nurse at our testing site about taking part in the RAKE study

For more information, WhatsApp us at 072 843 7564

Help Us Evaluate SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Tests in Our Study

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Since the time it was identified in December 2019, COVID-19 has spread throughout the world and caused over 1 million deaths. The South African government have implemented several ways to try and slow the spread of COVID-19. These include social distancing and limiting the gathering of large groups. Another essential way to control COVID-19 is increase testing so that the people with COVID-19 can be isolated and prevent further spread. We are assisting the government efforts to control COVID-19 by offering screening and testing for suspected cases in two communities in KwaZulu-Natal.

What is the purpose of the study?

To evaluate the acceptability of the COVID -19 Rapid Antigen diagnostic tests in the South African setting. This study will evaluate a SAPHRA approved antigen rapid COVID-19 test and a new unregistered but very promising second antigen rapid COVID-19 test. The overall goal of this project is to establish how the SARS-COV-2 coronavirus is spreading in urban and rural KwaZulu-Natal, in order to guide locally appropriate prevention and clinical care.

What does the study involve?

  • Completing a brief questionnaire
  • A nasal and 2 nasopharyngeal swabs to conduct PCR, and 2 Antigen tests.
  • COVID-19 positive patients will be invited to participate in a follow-up study.

What are the benefits of the study?

  • Free Rapid COVID-19 Antigen test (SAPHRA approved)
  • Free confirmatory PRC test available within 36-48 hours.

Who is eligible to be enrolled in this study?

  • People with COVID-19 symptoms
  • People who were referred by their doctors
  • Healthcare workers
  • People who have been exposed to COVID-19

Who is implementing the study?

Epicentre is conducting the study in partnership with the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND)

Location and Duration of the study

You can participate in this study by visiting any of our testing sites within KwaZulu-Natal:

The study will conclude once the study target has been met.

For more information

results-enquiry@epicentre.org.za

087 072 5300

Consent and indemnity

Our Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Test Explained

What is a ‘Rapid COVID-19 Antigen test’?

Antigen tests, like the name suggests, test for antigens. An COVID-19 Antigen test basically looks for fragments of COVID-19 antigens within a person’s body to see if they’re infected with the virus.

“An antigen is a substance recognized by the body’s immune system, which can [then] respond by generating proteins called antibodies that specifically recognize that antigen,” Albert Shaw, MD, a Yale Medicine infectious disease doctor and professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine

That basically means, “the point of an antigen test is to detect the presence of a protein—the nucleocapsid protein—which is part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is the cause of COVID-19.” [Dr Shaw].