Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were the first available for spotting the coronavirus. They work by detecting the virus’s genetic material, and are very accurate. Then came rapid tests, also ...

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 ...

The explosion of omicron cases in the U.S. smack in the middle of the holiday season is forcing Americans to rely more heavily on rapid tests prior to congregating with friends and family. In some ...

During the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), rapid testing was imperative for public health policymakers and health care workers in order to determine where and what measures ...

The emergence of the omicron variant is spurring a scramble for Covid-19 lateral flow tests, to try and ensure safe holiday parties and family gatherings. The U.K. is dealing with a supply crunch for ...

Other countries are awash in Covid tests. The U.S. is not. By David Leonhardt Your daughter wakes up with a scratchy throat, and you can’t decide whether she should go to school. You can’t shake a ...

A common rapid at-home COVID test has become the subject of a recent product recall over concerns the antigen test hasn't received proper U.S. authorization. The Food and Drug Administration issued a ...

To quickly confirm an asymptomatic case of COVID-19, a second rapid test within an hour of a positive result can boost the accuracy of the result from 38 percent to 92 percent, according to a new ...

How do rapid antigen COVID-19 tests work? Why did the US government just pledge to buy 280 million of them? And is that even enough to help curb the spread of the virus? As part of President Biden’s ...