Singapore to use rapid coronavirus tests for weddings, events

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Singapore plans to roll out rapid COVID-19 tests for events such as weddings and business conferences as the city-state looks to further reopen its economy, its health ministry said on Tuesday. Governments around the world are turning to so-called antigen tests that can deliver results in minutes but are less accurate than the standard molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which have suffered shortages in some places and outstripped manufacturers’ production capacity.

Singapore had one of the highest coronavirus caseloads in Asia earlier this year due to outbreaks in crowded migrant worker dormitories but in recent weeks has seen daily infections fall dramatically to the low single digits. The health ministry said it will from now until the end of the year identify events that will require rapid tests for entry, adding they will likely include business or sports events, wedding receptions and live performances.