HARRISBURG, Pa. — As the coronavirus pandemic prepares to enter its third year in the U.S., the need for COVID-19 testing shows no signs of slowing down as Americans grapple with the ongoing omicron wave.
"There are a lot of diseases, a lot of gatherings, and a lot of people trying to keep themselves safe," said Dr. John Goldman, an infectious disease expert at UPMC.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the current tests available to detect COVID-19 are molecular tests, also known as PCR tests, and antigen tests.
Many people worldwide have taken at least one of these tests before, but questions still remain: Is one test better than the other? Which one should you get if you're showing symptoms?
Goldman says it depends on your current situation, specifically whether you are traveling and need a quick result or if you have time to wait. If you fall in the latter category, opt for a PCR test; it will provide a more accurate result since it is more sensitive than an antigen test.
"The [antigen] home-kits pick up about two-thirds of positive tests compared to a PCR," said Goldman. "If you have 100 people with a positive PCR, you'll have about 66 positives on a home test which means you have about 33 that were missed. So, you miss about one-third on a home test. If you're asymptomatic, it's probably closer to half."
As for antigen tests, Goldman says they come in handy when you are planning to gather around groups of people. The tests can give you an answer on the day of any given event. However, since PCR test results take one to two days, you could get a negative result but end up positive the day of a gathering if you developed an infection in the waiting period.
However, Goldman says antigen tests work better for children: "It has to do with the fact that kids probably have a little bit of higher viral load, and it's probably easier to get a good sample since they have smaller nasal passages."
With a shortage of COVID-19 tests in some places, Dr. Goldman understands not everyone can get one. He says it's important to get vaccinated and boosted and follow CDC guidelines when ill and/or symptomatic.