Both the PCR and Antigen tests can detect an active case of COVID-19. The main differences between the two involve the timeframe and the accuracy.

There are three different ways to test for COVID-19: PCR tests, antigen tests and antibody tests. Here are the differences.

The two types of diagnostic tests right now being utilized to detect various forms of COVID-19 in the United States are the PCR test and the antigen test.

While you may be used to thinking of COVID tests as interchangeable, there’s a big difference between the standard at-home antigen test and a PCR (molecular) test. Almost five years in, it’s important ...

When you think about getting tested for COVID-19, you’re most likely picturing two types of tests: the at-home rapid antigen tests you can buy at the drugstore and the PCR test where the results ...

What’s the difference between PCR and rapid COVID tests? Rapid tests, which usually give a result within 10-20 minutes, also are called antigen tests, meaning they detect SARS-CoV-2 proteins.

Researchers investigated how antigen concentration and viral load in different specimen types affected the performance of SARS-CoV-2 rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs).

But a positive PCR test could be misleading and overly restrictive because a person could be clear of the virus weeks before taking the test. Meanwhile, rapid antigen tests have four advantages.

A video journalist demonstrates how to take a rapid antigen test. At-home tests and the omicron variant When the omicron variant emerged in late November 2021, scientists quickly responded to ...

The discrepancies between tests and the lengths of their positive results boil down to what each test looks for and how sensitive it is. PCR tests are highly sensitive and are good at detecting ...