categories of tests, and in each of those categories there s a bunch of manufacturers, a bunch of different ways you can do the tests. it s all awfully complicated for the average american to figure out. reporter: over-the-counter at home tests from these manufacturers are now authorized by the fda. experts say they all work well. in general for the purposes that most people are using tests today, which is to ask am i a risk to others around me, the rapid tests you can pick up on the shelf tend to perform very, very well for that use. reporter: there are three basic categories of tests. there are laboratory pcr tests. pcr standing for polymerest chain reaction. experts say those are the most accurate, most expensive tests done in labs which amplify the genetic material that may be in your system. experts say the pcr test is what you want if you want to figure out whether to go back to the office or travel. there are also rapid antigen tests which people can conduct at home, which
of different ways to do the tests. it s all awfully complicated. reporter: over-the-counter, at-home tests are now authorized by the fda. experts say they all work well. in general, for the purposes that most people are using tests today, which is to ask, am i risk to others around me, the rapid texts tend to perform very, very well for that use. there are three basic category, laboratory pcr tests, experts say they re the most acreceipt, more expensive tests done in a lab. experts say the pcr test is what you want if you want to figure out whether to go back to the office or travel. there are also rapid andy gen tests which people can conduct at home, are cheaper, can return results in as also as 15
by the fda. experts say they all work well. in general, for the purposes that most people are using tests today, which is to ask, am i a risk to others around me? the rapid test you can pick up on the shelf, tend to perform very well for that use. reporter: there are three basic categories of tests. there are laboratory pcr tests. experts say those are the more accurate tests done in labs. experts say the pcr test is what you want if you want to figure out whether to go back to the office or travel. there are also rapid antigen tests that can be conducted at home which can return results in 15 minutes. that rapid at-home test is the right thing to do if you want a rapid, time sensitive assessment of whether or not you are infectious right before you
it s confusing on what i need to get to go home to see moy family. three big categories of tests and, each of the categories there s a different of different manufacturers, different ways to do the test and it s complicated for americans to figure out. over the counter at-home test are authorized by the fda and in began they work well. the reason people are using tests to answer the question am arisk, the rapid tests on the shelf tend to perform version very well for that use. interest are three basic categories of tests. there are laboratory pcr tests. experts say those are the most acrat, more expensive tests done in labs which amplify the virus genetic material that may in your system. experts say the pcr test is what
by the fda. experts say they all work well. in general, for the purposes that most people are using tests today, which is to ask am i risk to others around me, the rapid tests you could pick up on the shelf tend to perform very, very well for that use. reporter: there are three basic categories of tests. there are laboratory pcr tests, pcr for poly more us chain reaction, those are the most accurate, more expensive tests done if labs which amplify the virus s genetic material that may be in your system. experts say the pcr test is what you want if you want to figure out whether to go back to the office or travel. there are also rapid antigen tests which people could conductality home which are cheaper and could return results in as little as 15 minutes. the anti-jen test, that rapid at-home test is the right thing to do if you want a rapid time sensitive assessment of whether or not you are infectious right before you go into a gathering.