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Message: <blockquote data-quote="imhotep" data-source="post: 27208521" data-attributes="member: 562115">Both CDC and the FDA regularly updates on these... The FDA in-vitro diagnostics EUA page carries more info.<a href="https://t.emailupdates.cdc.gov/r/?id=h4c129f9a,147a6e6f,147a9998&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_2146-DM61940&ACSTrackingLabel=Lab%20Alert%3A%20Changes%20to%20CDC%20RT-PCR%20for%20SARS-CoV-2%20Testing" target="_blank">https://t.emailupdates.cdc.gov/r/?id=h4c129f9a,147a6e6f,147a9998&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_2146-DM61940&ACSTrackingLabel=Lab Alert: Changes to CDC RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 Testing</a>As you say some kits could be outdated. Covid tests generally tests for certain Covid genes: Spike (S), N and ORF1ab. Many would have heard the name S Gene Target Failure (or SGTF).S Gene Target Failure is defined when the PCR test detects the N and ORF1ab genes,  but NOT the S gene. The position 69–70 deletion causes the S Gene to fail but this SGTF can be used as a marker for the B.1.1.7 or for the Omicron variant.The new High-Mutiplex assays are able to detect the S gene, E gene, RdRP gene, N gene, plus five notable S-gene mutations: HV69/70 deletion, Y144 deletion, E484K, N501Y, and P681H in one go.  So without any detailed sequencing Omicron can be confirmed in one test.Also even if the PCR is the Gold standard, sometimes it can cause false positives. A conservative estimate could be around 3%.</blockquote>

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