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 ...

A study conducted by RCSI has demonstrated that a PCR test using saliva to test for COVID-19 is almost as accurate as the standard nose and throat swab. The saliva screening represents a less invasive ...

Editor's note, March 7, 2023: The recommendations in this article are out of date and will not be updated going forward. Should you feel sick, we recommend talking to a health care professional.

South Korean scientists have developed a rapid PCR test that can detect the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in just four hours. The new test kit that can detect the new and highly transmissible ...

Given the highly infectious nature of the COVID pathogen, tests for the virus had to be quick, reliable and safe. The test ...

At the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic people who felt unwell had to join long queues for lab-based PCR tests and then wait for two days to learn if they were infected with the COVID-19 virus or not.