Our society has a pattern of thriving on instant gratification. Whether it's rushing our online orders to receive them faster or searching for a quick diagnosis on WebMD every time our head hurts, patience is currently at an all-time low. With over 40 million cases of coronavirus in the U.S. alone since the start of the pandemic, that sense of impatience extends now to a desire to know ASAP whether we or a loved one might be infected with COVID-19. Little wonder that self-testing for COVID at home has become an attractive option for many. But how reliable are these tests?
Before we can answer that, let's look at the different ways in which we can detect COVID-19. Currently, there are three main methods to test for the virus including an antibody test, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and an antigen test.
