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.

PCR is a mainstay in diagnostics, but whether a sample is collected at a clinic or at home, such tests require sending a sample to a lab and then waiting for results. A new FDA authorized ...

Two types of COVID-19 tests, the rapid antigen test and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, are available in the United States. The PCR typically relies on lab testing and is still considered ...

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 ...

Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. 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 ...

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" ...

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 ...