Developing diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2: the role of reagents

The rapid global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has exposed major gaps in our ability to deal with emerging pandemics. In the face of no specific countermeasures, lockdowns and social distancing have become the mainstay of disease control. Yet in the face of a significant financial downturn, many governments have tentatively begun to ease restrictions.

At the time of writing, SARS-CoV-2 has infected over five million people, resulting in excess of 300,000 deaths.¹ SARS-CoV-2 has proved to be a capable pathogen, balancing high transmissibility with long incubation periods and a high prevalence of asymptomatic infection that have made it challenging to contain.² With no specific treatments currently available, non-pharmaceutical interventions such as quarantine, personal protective equipment and social distancing have been instrumental in controlling the spread of the disease. But while these measures have been an effective means of preventing transmission, they are evidently not a practical long-term solution.

However, to allow a safe return to pre-SARS-CoV-2 life without the risk of successive waves of infection, a number of key measures will need to be put in place. Most importantly, countries will need to rigorously test and isolate suspected cases to keep tabs on the size of the threat and mitigate transmission. Governments have so far attempted to achieve this by scaling testing to unprecedented levels. However, current testing systems are ill-suited as standalone means of managing SARS-CoV-2 and new technologies are required.