Your Guide to Different Types of COVID-19 Testing
With various tests for COVID-19 available on the market, choosing the right one can seem confusing.
In reality, the major tests recommended by authorities such as the CDC and WHO are completely safe and accurate to a great degree, but they have subtle differences and advantages which could make one type more feasible than the other.
Testing is crucial to ensure that you don’t risk other people’s lives, and have the necessary clearance to travel safely.. Here’s a guide to the various kinds of COVID-19 testing being performed.
Molecular test (aka RNA or PCR test)
Molecular tests are often called PCR tests, short for polymerase chain reaction, which is the lab methodology for detecting the virus’ genetic material. The process is fairly simple, requiring another person to collect mucus from either your throat or nose using a swap.
The results for PCR tests are very accurate, having a turnaround time ranging from several minutes to a few days. The time duration for Covid-10 results can vary depending on the test site; whether the test was done onsite or at another facility.
Recent developments suggest that saliva can also be used for testing purposes and provide accurate results.
Antibody Test (Aka Serology Test or Blood Test)
Healthcare professionals perform antibody tests by taking blood samples from a finger prick or drawing it from your veins. Antibody tests are generally slower, as the samples are tested at a medical lab, which can take a few days, and delay the test results. Recent developments suggest faster turnaround times, as minimal as 15 minutes with new point-of-care tests.
Unfortunately, these tests can’t help diagnose an active case of COVID, as these are generally useful for finding out past infections. These tests are crucial in learning about the asymptomatic infection and the overall prevalence of the Coronavirus.
Rapid Antigen Tests
Antigen tests are called rapid tests, as these have a quick turnaround time. They take 10-15 minutes to produce results, which is why these are used for large scale screening efforts at events and high traffic places like airports. These Rapid Antigen tests operate in the same manner as a PCR test, with a healthcare professional swapping your nose or throat for samples.
However, these tests are often unable to detect an active case of the Coronavirus, which means that a doctor can rule out false negatives in case someone tests negative but shows symptoms of COVID.
At Good Hearts Testing, we provide a complete array of fast COVID testing techniques in Miami. Whether you’re looking for same-day antigen, PCR or antibody testing, we provide all three. Our services also cater to different industries, providing at-home COVID tests, group testing, production testing and in-studio testing.
Acquire quick, reliable and easy COVID testing solutions for yourself, your loved ones and employees with us right away. Get in touch with us to learn more about our services.