{"id":29837,"date":"2021-11-08T10:00:23","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T16:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ipromo.com\/blog\/?p=29837"},"modified":"2024-01-10T13:32:51","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T19:32:51","slug":"what-types-of-covid-tests-are-there","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.ipromo.com\/what-types-of-covid-tests-are-there\/","title":{"rendered":"What Types of Covid Tests Are There?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: Drazen Zigic\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/p>\n

After <\/span>months of shortages<\/span><\/a> throughout 2020, it was a relief when Covid-19 tests became widely available to the general public in 2021. Now, we have multiple types of Covid tests available to keep people informed and prevent the spread of infection. What types of Covid tests are there, you might wonder, and how do they compare? Right now, two different types of Covid test are widely available to the public. Below, we\u2019ll look through the pros and cons of the major types of Covid test, as well as how businesses and institutions can find an affordable price on antigen Covid tests in bulk. <\/span><\/p>\n

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Tests<\/b><\/h2>\n

PCR tests are the <\/span>most sensitive Covid-19 tests<\/span><\/a> available, and the type most commonly administered at doctor\u2019s offices and hospitals. A PCR test allows a trained professional to detect the presence of viral RNA from the SARS-CoV-2 virus using a molecule that replicates and amplifies viral RNA. <\/span><\/p>\n

Medical professionals administer a PCR test by collecting a sample from a patient, such as a nasal or throat swab, and testing it with a reagent. Some testing facilities send these samples to a lab for analysis, while others analyze them in-house for rapid results. PCR tests have an extremely high sensitivity \u2014 so high, in fact, that they sometimes <\/span>detect tiny fragments of RNA<\/span><\/a> in people who are no longer sick or infectious.<\/span><\/p>\n

The biggest downside of PCR tests is that they\u2019re relatively expensive and require special training to administer correctly. It\u2019s also not always possible to get rapid results using a PCR, depending on which testing options someone has access to. If you need results quickly or the ability to test at home or work, rapid antigen tests are a better option.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rapid Covid-19 Antigen Tests<\/b><\/h2>\n

Rather than looking for the viral RNA itself, antigen tests detect surface proteins and other viral by-products using a process called <\/span>lateral flow immunoassay<\/span><\/a>. These tests allow anyone to test an oral or nasal swab sample using a disposable cartridge. Most rapid Covid-19 test kits available for home and office use, including the popular <\/span>Abbott BinaxNOW™ Covid test<\/span><\/a>, are antigen tests. <\/span><\/p>\n

Although antigen tests do have a lower sensitivity than PCR tests, <\/span>they\u2019re still generally effective<\/span><\/a> at detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection. The CDC says these tests are especially good at detecting infection at the point when a person is most contagious \u2014 which is exactly when it\u2019s most important. The <\/span>Abbott BinaxNow™ home Covid test kit<\/span><\/a>, for example, has a sensitivity of 84.6% when administered according to the instructions, and each kit includes two test cartridges to confirm a result. These tests have other substantial advantages that make them popular for home and workplace testing:<\/span><\/p>\n