As part of Singapore’s reopening efforts, ART is useful for pre-event testing such as business conferences, wedding receptions, music performances and sports tournaments. The turnaround for ART results is typically within half an hour. ART tests can be conducted for people of any age. All that’s required is to present identification such as NRIC/FIN/Passport. 

You will receive a confirmation via SMS upon completion of the test. It is typically valid for 24 hours. It is important to ensure hence that the time you arrive at our clinic for the test is no more than 24 hours to the end of your event. For instance, if your event happens 9am to 5pm, you should only do the test after 5pm the previous day.

All positive ART results will require a confirmatory PCR test to determine if a patient is genuinely a positive case. Patients should proceed to the nearest SASH clinic to be swabbed and isolate themselves.

The ARTs used for our pre-event testing meet recommendations by the World Health Organisation and have been evaluated and endorsed by MOH . The sensitivity of the ART test kits is at 98.1% and specificity at 99.8%. This means they can pick up at least 98.1% of individuals who are infected with COVID-19 and show at least 0.2% false positives in healthy individuals.

If your ART result is invalid, we will conduct another ART test on the spot on a complimentary basis. If a repeat ART test remains invalid, you will have to proceed to a nearest SASH clinic for a PCR test. PCR takes 24-30 hours for turnaround so you are required to remain isolated until the result is negative.

ART is a point-of-care test that looks for proteins on the virus surface. It involves using a nasal swab from the lower part of nose. Although it can yield accurate results within half an hour, it has a lower accuracy rate than PCR. 

PCR is a test that detects the presence of viral genetic material in a sample. The process can take 1 to 2 days so it may not be feasible for pre-event testing. It can also be costly, and requires trained personnel and specialised equipment to administer. Swabs are taken from the back of nose or the back of throat. PCR is among the most accurate tests available.

For off-site service, please contact us for a customised quote.

ART involves using a nasal swab to take a sample from the lower part of the nose and should not be uncomfortable. 

No, the ART swab is shallow hence less intrusive than the nasopharyngeal swabs taken during a PCR test.

ART is useful for pre-event testing for events such as business-to-business meetings, wedding receptions, music performances, and sports tournaments. For travel, this depends on your destination country. More information at this link.

PRPP is an initiative of MOH, which helps GPs digitise the pre-visit declaration process for patients visiting clinics. PRPP facilitates the clinic’s assessment for COVID-19 risk, and its triage of patients as high-risk or low-risk. Patients’ risk levels - red, amber, green - are automatically assigned based on their condition(s), travel history, contact history and clinic visit history. PRPP is mandatory for clinics when conducting ART.

Yes, Nuffield Medical can conduct ART testing offsite. Please fill out the Contact Us form to indicate your interest. We will contact you to discuss operational requirements upon receiving your enquiry. Offsite ART testing is subject to approval from MOH. We will coordinate a site recce with you and submit the necessary paperwork to MOH on a complimentary basis.