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 or other type of molecular test.

This molecular COVID-19 test requires you to buy a separate device to read your results. Lucira Health. If you have respiratory symptoms, this company makes a test that can check for COVID, ...

A PCR, also known as a NAAT or molecular test, measures RNA and can detect even small amounts of the virus. This is why it has always been considered the “gold standard” of COVID testing.

There are three different ways to test for COVID-19: PCR tests, antigen tests and antibody tests. Each method is best for a different stage of COVID-19 infection. Used in sequence, all three ...

The other kind of at-home COVID test is a “molecular” test, Dr. Kasson explains. “This detects the viral genome, and it typically uses a nucleic acid amplification method to amplify a signal ...

Gone are the days of visiting a doctor’s office to determine whether you have Covid. Instead, you can buy over-the-counter test kits, which diagnose infection from the comfort of your home ...

Medicare Part B covers molecular, antigen, and antibody coronavirus testing from Medicare-approved labs. Medicare does not cover over-the-counter home test kits. Various tests can detect COVID-19 ...

The most reliable COVID-19 test, according to the CDC, is a molecular test. But this type... Greenwich Hospital says its molecular COVID-19 testing is down 70% compared to 2021 ...

Only one, made by Pfizer, is a molecular test, which is more sensitive because it searches for genetic material. That test is pricier, at around $40. How do you use a combination test?

Fact checked by Marley Hall Medically reviewed by Femi Aremu, PharmD If you're testing for COVID-19, you'll want to know what a positive test looks like—and what it means if you get a faint line.