[gewa]

Yes, there are of course drawbacks. But the direct detection is applicable at the same stage of infection as a rt-pcr and therefore usefull for immediate disease diagnosis. Indirect tests after seroconversion are the easier alternative, and will probably be used extensively in the aftermath, to get solid epidemiological numbers.

[entee]

One disadvantage to RT-qPCR I forgot to highlight, and an advantage to direct detection ELISAs (and ELISAs in general) is that ELISAs are relatively robust when fully developed. RT-qPCR requires a lot more gear. See pregnancy tests. Sits on a shelf for ages, all you need to do is pee on it, works reliably, needs no extra equipment.