Recent Advances in Electrochemical and Nanophotonic Biosensors for SARS-CoV-2 Detection

The contagious respiratory illness coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had an unprecedented impact on both global health and society, causing a global pandemic due to its rapid transmission. The emergence of numerous variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) underscores the critical importance of accurately diagnosing variants of concern (VOCs). Viruses have demonstrated a remarkable ability to evolve and adapt to their environments. Therefore, it is crucial to develop effective diagnostic methods that provide rapid, high sensitivity, and selectivity in a point-of-care (PoC) format, meeting the vital need for detecting and addressing emerging new viruses in the future. With the development of nanotechnology and biotechnology, there have been innovations in rapid, multiplexed, and portable sensors with high sensitivity and specificity. In this review, we discuss the fundamental properties of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, conventional diagnostic methods, and recent developments from the perspective of electrochemical- and nanophotonic-based SARS-CoV-2 biosensors, including our recent work.