Antigen tests for coronavirus detection will be rolled out to all ports of entry with immediate effect, the government said on Thursday. On arrival, a traveller will be screened for symptoms and sent for testing should they not have a certified polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result. The test will be conducted at a fee of about R150-R170 and will be paid by the traveller. Anyone who is red-flagged for showing symptoms of Covid-19 may still be quarantined, even with a negative antigen test. Results of antigen tests are typically available within 15 minutes – as opposed to the roughly 48-hour turnaround time for PCR tests at most laboratories. “Antigen testing will therefore enable the management of the influx of travellers without certified PCR tests timeously,” the government said.

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