(4)As a result of those developments and to enlarge the scope of the different types of diagnostic tests that may be used for the issuance of an EU Digital COVID Certificate, the definition of rapid antigen tests should be amended to include laboratory-based antigenic assays. It should thus be possible for Member States to issue test certificates and, following the adoption of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/256note, certificates of recovery on the basis of the antigen tests included in the EU common list of COVID-19 antigen tests agreed, and regularly updated, by the Health Security Committee as meeting the established quality criteria. Given that Member States' COVID-19 testing strategies differ, the possibility for Member States to use antigen tests for the issuance of recovery certificates should thus remain optional, to be used in particular when there is a shortage of NAAT capacity due to a high number of infections in the area concerned or for another reason. Where sufficient NAAT capacity is available, Member States can continue to issue certificates of recovery only on the basis of NAAT tests, which are considered as the most reliable methodology for the testing of COVID-19 cases and contacts. Similarly, during periods in which there is an increase in SARS-CoV-2 infections, resulting in high demand for testing or a shortage of NAAT tests, Member States could have the possibility, temporarily, of issuing certificates of recovery based on antigen tests. When infections decrease, Member States can continue to issue certificates of recovery only on the basis of NAAT tests.
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