According to a recent article published in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, a group of scientists have developed a new test to identify the variants in a Covid-positive patient. Ryan Dikdan, the lead study author and a public health doctoral student at Rutgers University stated that the test can identify all current variants and potential ones. He stated that the test will help officials and healthcare professionals to track and control the pandemic easily including effective treatment and management methods. 

He further added that the test is inspired by the RT-PCR method, but it can detect variants. This will play a significant role as it provides the result with the variant classification. The new method uses molecular beacon technology i.e., a molecular probe is deployed to scan the viral component carrying genetic information for replication and protein formation. He further added that they named it a beacon owing to the sensitivity of the probe, which can differentiate between different gene sequences that vary on a single base point. Once the beacon recognizes such targets, they bind to the target giving out fluorescent emission. Thus, helping the researchers to determine the coronavirus variant.

Rutgers test can differentiate and detect eight different mutations of the spike proteins of coronavirus. The test has further segregated the mutations into the current ones and the common ones that increase the transmission rate. Hence, effectively building a base for detecting future variants that may use a combination of these eight mutations.