All About Covid Tests and How Omicron Impacts Them: QuickTake

The rise of the omicron variant of the coronavirus has refocused attention on the importance of testing as a tool for bringing the pandemic under control -- and keeping it that way. At the same time, the rapid tests that are widely used to identify infections may be less accuratedetecting omicron cases, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Dec. 28. The terminology around coronavirus testing can be confusing. Here’s help sorting it out.

1. How do tests detect active infections?

Typically, they look for the presence of the coronavirus in your nose, throat or mouth. There are two ...