:: If speed is more important, other tests are available, but they’re less accurate ::
Dude...you just shot yourself in the willy with this reply.
Did I?
RT-PCR is the most accurate test available. It’s also sometimes just referred to as PCR. It tests for specific pieces of RNA that only exist in SARS-CoV-2. It will not give you a false positive, but if the sample collection is done so early on that there’s no viral material present at the collection point (typically in the nasal cavity), you can get a false negative. These will show if there’s an active infection with SARS-CoV-2 and will sometimes still show positive for a period of time after an infection because genetic material is from the virus is still present in the individual’s body at the collection point. Is that clear?
Antigen tests are faster and cheaper than PCR, but they can trigger off other things. They’re typically more like 80-90% accurate and can be done in minutes. They’ll only show an active infection as well and they can also miss an active infection more easily than PCR tests.
Antibody tests (also known as serology tests) look for antibodies present in your blood. This is a blood test, unlike the other two. This will go positive about a week after initial infection and remain positive until your body stops antibody production (which it will eventually do for any infection since it’s no longer necessary and burns a ton of energy). These aren’t terribly useful for diagnosing an active infection. Rather, they help diagnose whether you’ve had COVID-19 in the past few weeks or months.
More information is here: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/coronavirus-disease-2019-testing-basics