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 announcement came last week with the White House signaling a billion-dollar investment in at-home rapid coronavirus tests. It also said 20,000 pharmacies across the country would offer free ...

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 ...

At-home COVID-19 tests have become commonplace for many households, but knowing when exactly to take a rapid test — or when to throw old ones out — isn't always straightforward. Here's what health ...

Abundant, free, rapid tests, many experts argue, are vitally important for mitigating what we know is fast becoming an endemic virus — Covid-19. But that is easier said than done. Between supply ...

They can result in false negatives, but they remain a valuable tool in stopping the spread of Covid-19. Here’s how to use them most effectively. By Dana G. Smith We’ve all heard the anecdotes: Your ...

Rapid COVID tests are convenient and easy to use because you can take them at home. But it's important to know how to interpret their results, when you should take another rapid test and when you ...

Only a few years ago the benefits of lateral flow diagnostic tests weren’t widely understood outside of scientific circles. The reason most people came into contact with the technology was through the ...

For instance, if you only get a very faint line, it might be hard to know whether or not that means your results are positive. I know how that feels firsthand. After more than two years of evading ...

Scientists and public health experts built the COVID-19 pandemic response on years of experience navigating infectious disease outbreaks. Although lateral flow immunoassays have been central to ...

How much should you trust the results of a rapid antigen test? That's a question many people are asking these days amid recent research and anecdotes suggesting these tests may be less sensitive to ...