A: NPR has a great cheat sheet describing the three major types of COVID tests under discussion:
(1) PCR – Test for CURRENTLY ACTIVE infections via identification of genetic material in mucus;
(2) Antibodies – Test for PAST INFECTIONS in the blood;
(3) Antigen – Test for CURRENTLY ACTIVE infections via identification of proteins in nose and throat secretions.
There’s an ACCURACY VERSUS SPEED trade-off across the numerous variants of these tests. Cheap, quick tests such as Abbott’s rapid PCR test can be great *screening* tools, but are not-so-hot *formal diagnostic* tools. Expensive tests requiring days-long lab analysis are great *diagnostic* tools but are typically too burdensome and/or costly to use to screen large numbers of asymptomatic populations.
Bottom line: We need to be aware that, for now, there isn’t one silver bullet test that is both SPEEDY AND ACCURATE. We should expect an ongoing need for multiple types of testing to tackle the unique priorities of varying contexts.
We promise to update early and often as the testing landscape continues to quickly evolve!
