Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rapid (antigen) tests for COVID-19 both involve taking a swab. Results for a PCR test take longer, as it needs to go to a laboratory. It is more costly but tends to ...

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test detects genetic material from a pathogen or abnormal cell sample. Ways of collecting samples include a nasal swab, a saliva swab, or taking a sample of blood.

As the federal health emergency ended May 11 and COVID numbers are on the rise, here’s how you can still access tests, at-home and PCR. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images) It’s that time again: COVID-19 ...

Molecular tests are far superior to rapid antigen tests—and now you can get them for home use. Last week, I was about to go on a date, and because I'm severely immunocompromised, we agreed he would ...

While they've been the gold standard to identify positive coronavirus cases around the world for more than a year, PCR tests still aren't trusted by some social media users. An Oct. 4 Instagram post ...

New COVID-19 restrictions for international travel and other activities are fueling consumer demand for highly accurate polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests with rapid turnaround times. Some ...

For Rachel Robles, getting diagnosed with Long COVID was an uphill battle. She caught the virus in March 2020, when nearly nothing was known about its long-term effects and testing was inaccessible ...

Each week, we answer frequently asked questions about life during the coronavirus crisis. If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at [email protected] with the ...

A PCR test is often considered the gold standard for detecting coronavirus infection. It’s the test some employers want employees to take before returning to work after having Covid-19, and the one ...

PCR is a mainstay in diagnostics, but whether a sample is collected at a clinic or at home, such tests require sending a sample to a lab and then waiting for results. A new FDA authorized ...