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 ...

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 ...

Last week, I was about to go on a date, and because I'm severely immunocompromised, we agreed he would take a COVID test using one of my rapid home molecular tests. It was a courtesy—he felt perfectly ...

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.

COVID-19 tests are in greater demand than ever, and new data about the Omicron variant can make picking and using different types of tests confusing. Molecular tests for COVID-19, like the "RT-PCR" ...

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 surging in the United States, many people are taking COVID-19 tests to see whether they test positive. Most people will take either a rapid antigen or PCR test. Though the PCR test is ...

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 ...

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 ...

ATLANTA — As coronavirus research continues to evolve, so does the spread of misinformation. Now there's a new claim making the rounds and questioning the accuracy of COVID-19 testing. Our VERIFY team ...

A widely shared claim on social media has brought the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's decision to retire its PCR test for COVID-19 back into the spotlight. "CDC Withdraws Use of PCR Test ...

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 ...