The COVID-19 pandemic brought the term "Polymerase Chain Reaction testing" into the mainstream. The PCR method is a type of nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) that detects a pathogen by finding ...

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 ...

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 ...

A disinformation website is taking a 2020 press release out of context to falsely claim Americans may get vaccinated against COVID-19 without their knowledge. "Johns Hopkins University Confirms: You ...

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 ...

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.