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 ...

Molecular tests are far superior to rapid antigen tests—and now you can get them for home use. Amanda Blum is a freelancer who writes about smart home technology, gardening, and food preservation.

Finding a COVID-19 test has become a real challenge with the spread of the omicron variant. But there is also confusion over which test people should be getting, which is a PCR or antigen? “The two ...

If you had COVID-19 symptoms in 2020, you probably would have masked up and braved a visit to a laboratory, doctor’s office, or clinic to get a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. A health care ...

With Omicron subvariants continuing to evolve and spread, more and more people are testing positive for COVID across the US and Illinois. As of the latest update, eight counties in Illinois were ...

Dr. Matt Binnicker, an expert in the diagnosis of infectious diseases, reviews scenarios where an at-home antigen test is a good option, and when to seek out a lab-based PCR. The omicron variant is ...

Researchers often call the polymerase chain reaction test – known as the PCR test – "the gold standard" for detecting the COVID-19 virus. The test is considered highly reliable and effective, and it ...

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 ...

It’s best to test for RSV soon after your symptoms start. That’s because you’ll likely have the most virus in your system then. As you get better, the amount of virus will go down. (Photo Credit: ...

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 ...