Molecular tests are far superior to rapid antigen tests—and now you can get them for home use. Amanda Blum is a freelancer who writes about smart home technology, gardening, and food preservation.

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 ...

In the two years since it launched the world's first commercially available COVID-19 PCR test, Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland has distributed ten million tests from its base in West Sussex.

Though they’re not perfect, at-home tests will detect infections about 80% of the time, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. So is there any reason to get a PCR test anymore? Judging by ...

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.

Researchers often call the polymerase chain reaction test – known as the PCR test – "the gold standard" for detecting the COVID-19 virus. The test is considered highly reliable and effective, and it ...