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.

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.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. As the federal health emergency ended May 11 and COVID numbers are on the rise, here’s how you can still access tests, at-home and ...

Dr. Matt Binnicker, an expert in the diagnosis of infectious diseases, reviews scenarios where an at-home antigen test is a good option, and when to seek out a lab-based PCR. The omicron variant is ...

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 ...

With Omicron subvariants continuing to evolve and spread, more and more people are testing positive for COVID across the US and Illinois. As of the latest update, eight counties in Illinois were ...

Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. A medical worker performs a COVID-19 test at a screening center in Saint-Denis, France, on Nov. 4, 2020. Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. If you had COVID-19 ...

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" ...