Goodness this is way harder than it needs to be.A RAT or POC...

Goodness this is way harder than it needs to be.

A RAT or POC test just gives you a Yes / No

You have to understand if you present at a Public Hospital with the signs of an infection / virus that unless you are very sick, they will just give you Panadol and a sick cert for 48 hrs.

Drink fluids and go to bed.

If you aren't sick enough to warrant more treatment - that's all that will happen.

If you are sicker - if your temp is above 38.4C - you get blood cultures and a blood screen for infection. Not a finger prick - a good 30ml sample is taken from a vein.

If the hospital has a 24/7 lab then off it goes.

At no point is a POC considered.

Now - if the hospital DOESN'T have a 24/7 lab then if the patient is sick enough to warrant immediate treatment the yes, a POC test might be useful to start AB's if it's bacterial positive, whilst waiting for cultures to come back from the lab in a few hours time.


The confusion here is because people don't understand the treatment pathways in major hospitals.

POC tests are just yes / no and for people who go to a GP that's quite sufficient.



These POC tests aren't for very sick people. That's what y'all aren't getting.

I agree they will sell well, but in the correct market.

I hope that's clearer.