The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which requires a long swab to be inserted in the nasal cavity, is extremely sensitive and accurate – but must be conducted in a lab (photo by Paul Biris via Getty Images)

When it comes to COVID-19, not all tests are created equal: U of T’s Vivek Goel

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Testing for COVID-19 is a critical tool in the fight against the pandemic. But as more tests become available to more people, there is a risk of sowing confusion about which test is needed and when Vivek Goel, a public health expert who is helping guide the University of Toronto’s pandemic planning as a special adviser to the president and provost, says the confusion can be cleared by focusing on one key principle: “smart testing.”

“Just testing on an ad hoc basis in a city or at a place like a university or company, whether they have symptoms or not and with whatever test is available and fastest is not always going to yield the best results,” says Goel, who is also a professor at U of T’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health….

https://www.utoronto.ca/news/when-it-comes-covid-19-not-all-tests-are-created-equal-u-t-s-vivek-goel

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