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" ...

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 ...

Now that COVID-19 is regularly circulating through communities, it’s hard to know if you should take a COVID test every time you have a sniffle. Gone are the days of COVID testing centers on every ...

New high-tech Covid-19 tests promise better and earlier detection of the virus—similar to a PCR test. WSJ’s Joanna Stern (and her mannequin clone) tried out the Detect Covid-19 Test and Cue Health ...

Thea van de Mortel teaches into the graduate Infection Prevention and Control program at Griffith University. With Christmas around the corner and COVID-19 case numbers rising, it’s important to keep ...

Every American traveling abroad needs to take an antigen test to return to the United States. But the start of the trip is often even more cumbersome, as many other countries (nearly every one I have ...

At-home coronavirus tests are in high demand amidst the Omicron surge. You can buy "rapid" antigen tests, or PCR tests, which are the "gold standard" and are usually processed in a lab. Some states ...

Rapid tests work well on Omicron variants, but only if your viral load is high at the time. You need to reach a certain threshold before any test — PCR or rapid — can detect your infection. Experts ...