As a result of the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant, this week saw the biggest spike in Covid case numbers since records began in March 2020, with 119,789 positive tests reported in the 24 hours to ...

During the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), rapid testing was imperative for public health policymakers and health care workers in order to determine where and what measures ...

The government has halted Covid-19 testing at a private lab in Wolverhampton after at least 43,000 people were incorrectly given a negative PCR test result. The differences between PCR and lateral ...

Jack has a degree in Medical Genetics from the University of Leicester.View full profile Jack has a degree in Medical Genetics from the University of Leicester. As the coronavirus pandemic continues ...

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were the first available for spotting the coronavirus. They work by detecting the virus’s genetic material, and are very accurate. Then came rapid tests, also ...

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Andrew Lee has previously received research funding from the National Institute for Health Research. He is a member of the UK Faculty of Public Health and the Royal Society for Public Health. Just as ...

Lateral flow tests (LFTs) are quick and easy to take at home, giving a result within 20-30 minutes. They look for proteins on the surface of the virus, which are easily detected. However, they have a ...

Kit Yates does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...

A Covid-19 lateral flow test showing a negative result. Routine testing to identify those infected followed by efficient contact tracing, and supported isolation is still the most effective public ...

As a result of the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant, Covid case numbers have continued to rise across the UK in record numbers, with 120,821 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. Now, the prime ...

Editor's Note: Article updated with latest information on availability of tests. People faced problems getting hold of the tests last week after a huge surge in demand prompted the Government website ...