With all the talk about different types of COVID-19 testing—rapid tests, diagnostic tests, antibody tests—it can get confusing. We’ve covered rapid tests on this blog, which seem good in theory but can be inaccurate. But what is the difference between diagnostic and antibody tests? Antibody tests determine whether you have antibodies against COVID-19. This means…
Nearly every public health expert and organization agrees that—in the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine—widespread testing is key to curtailing the pandemic. It’s crucial on the individual level of isolating people who are infected and their close contacts. But it is equally important on a national/global level; extensive testing allows experts to identify virus hotspots…
There’s been much talk about asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic COVID-19 spread. However, these terms differ. Asymptomatic refers to people who test positive for the virus but never show symptoms. Pre-symptomatic people are those who can spread COVID-19 in the time between when they catch it and start showing symptoms. It’s still unclear how much of COVID-19…
By now most of us know at least the basics of COVID-19—it spreads easily from person to person; it’s more likely to spread indoors in congregate settings. All of this can seem scary and out of our control. The good news is that there are still things we can do. Regular testing is something within our…