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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Because of the way the <keyword id="12616996" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> variant has mutated, some <keyword id="6361808" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pcr" source="Orion">PCR</keyword> lab tests can provide a good hint that it's around.</li><li>The clue is not definitive, but it can help scientists determine which tests to sequence, saving time.</li></ul>In the days and weeks <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-southern-africa-detected-omicron-variant-so-quickly-2021-11">before scientists in South Africa and Botswana found Omicron</a> in early November, laboratory workers there started noticing something strange about many of the PCR lab tests being done to detect COVID-19.Something was missing. One of the genes their tests typically targeted to find out whether a person had the virus was not present. The <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword>'s "S" gene was dropping out.This didn't lead to any false negative tests, because there are two other gene targets that were still successfully <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-coronavirus-throat-tests-work-rt-pcr-method-explained-2020-4">lighting up</a>. Still, scientists started to suspect maybe something strange was afoot."All of a sudden, this S gene fallout was just in basically every single sample," Vicky Baillie, a senior scientist at Wits Vaccines &amp; Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit in South Africa, told Insider. "We then did the sequencing, and that's when we found this new variant."It turns out that one of the standard laboratory tests that many scientists around the world use to screen for the coronavirus can provide an early hint that Omicron is around.Knowing this gives disease-watchers worldwide a head-start, helping them decide which samples to put through the costly and time-consuming genetic sequencing process to confirm the new variant has arrived. <h2>How one brand of PCR test detected Omicron</h2>The fact that the S gene was missing from many South African lab tests wasn't a definitive sign that Omicron was there, but it was a kind of accidental early alert system. It was detected through <a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/clinical/clinical-genomics/pathogen-detection-solutions/covid-19-sars-cov-2/multiplex.html">one of the common brands</a> of PCR lab tests: the ThermoFischer TaqPath COVID-19 combo kit. <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-emergency-use-authorizations-medical-devices/in-vitro-diagnostics-euas-molecular-diagnostic-tests-sars-cov-2">Other PCR brands</a> have tests that work in <a href="https://www.zymoresearch.com/blogs/blog/what-makes-a-good-covid-19-rt-pcr-test">a very similar way</a>, but they may <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/136046/download">target different gene</a> combinations that are more well-preserved with the new variant. No authorized coronavirus test, so far, has been deemed unusable for Omicron, according to the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-actively-working-investigate-address-potential-impacts-omicron">US Food and Drug Administration</a>."We believe high-volume polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antigen (rapid) tests widely used in the US show low likelihood of being impacted and continue to work," the FDA said in <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-actively-working-investigate-address-potential-impacts-omicron">a statement Tuesday</a>.But not all PCR tests can sound the alarm about Omicron, because "it's not what their job is," Scott Becker, CEO of the Association of <keyword id="6364896" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="public-health" source="Orion">Public Health</keyword> Laboratories in the US, said on Tuesday during a media briefing. PCR tests are designed to diagnose any and all COVID-19, not to tell people exactly which variant they have. Still, PCR is faster, cheaper, and easier than whole genome sequencing, making it a potentially great tool for large scale variant screening. It's a shortcut that can, in turn, improve how nimbly policymakers, pharmaceutical companies, and scientists respond to new disease threats. <h2>US labs are racing to stock up on the same PCR test used in South Africa</h2>ThermoFischer's test is such a useful tool for hunting down this variant that the bulk of public health labs all across the US are all racing to use it "for the next two weeks, just to have this heightened screening while we look for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-the-us-probably-has-2000-cases-already-covid-expert-2021-11">Omicron in the US,</a>" Kelly Wroblewski, the director of infectious diseases for the APHL said during the briefing. Of the 68 public health labs in the country, 56 are capable of using this specific test. This will be "really really helpful" for US Omicron surveillance, Wroblewski said.Because it takes roughly 24 to 48 hours to sequence a coronavirus sample after testing it, having an earlier indication of which tests might potentially be Omicron positive is a nice perk. But it's definitely not a perfect shortcut. At least not yet."This is a fairly common mutation," Wroblewski added, explaining why these PCR tests on their own can't be used as "a definitive tool."The same kind of S gene dropout happened previously with the B.1.1.7 variant, aka Alpha, and it has with other, less significant coronavirus variants too."It just helps guide you that you might have something of interest that you want to interrogate a bit further," Wroblewski said. <div type="image" title="a man using a pipette to genetic sequence a coronavirus sample" height="1400" width="2100" msid="88038202" hostid="261"></div><h2>Scientists can build more specific PCR tests — and they could be ready in 6 weeks</h2>Dr. Charity Dean, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-the-us-probably-has-2000-cases-already-covid-expert-2021-11">a former top public health official</a> in California who was one of the first people sounding the COVID-19 alarm to the White House, calls the S gene dropout "an early signal of where we think Omicron is in the world.""But really, you need to do whole genome sequencing to confirm that, and that capability is limited just because of the cost and the investment it takes for a lab to do it," said Dean, whose new venture, The <a href="https://www.thepublichealthco.com/">Public Health Company,</a> runs a genetic sequencing lab to improve disease surveillance in the US. "It's not something they can just stand up overnight."Though the PCR tests we have today can't definitively screen for Omicron, Dean said it's possible that because of the vast array of new mutations that Omicron exhibits, new tests could be designed to do that very soon."You can actually build a PCR test to target a specific variant," Dean said. "I would anticipate we'll have that for Omicron, probably in six weeks."Until then, other countries can benefit from the same lucky break that South Africa did, by combining S gene-targeted PCR testing with top-notch sequencing work, to more quickly figure out if this variant is at hand. "In comparison to a lot of other African countries, and even to a lot of first world countries, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-southern-africa-detected-omicron-variant-so-quickly-2021-11">we do sequence a lot</a>," Baillie said. "I think it also came down to the [PCR] assay that we happened to be using."

One nerdy piece of good news about Omicron: We already have tests that spot signs of the variant

<ul class="summary-list"><li>At-home <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword> tests are in high demand amidst the Omicron surge.</li><li>You can buy "rapid" antigen tests, or <keyword id="6361808" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pcr" source="Orion">PCR</keyword> tests, which are the "gold standard" and are usually processed in a lab.</li></ul>It might be time to stock up on home coronavirus tests again — if you can find them.As COVID cases surged in recent weeks, Google searches for "home coronavirus test" also spiked. People seeking tests have found <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cvs-low-on-covid-tests-limiting-the-number-customers-buy-2021-8">drugstore shelves empty</a> and Amazon inventory <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rapid+antigen+test+for+covid+19&amp;i=industrial&amp;crid=3NNV85EG4R9F&amp;sprefix=anitgen+%2Cindustrial%2C167&amp;ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_1_8">sold out</a>.Even if demand for testing is climbing to early pandemic levels, at least the technology for testing at home has improved since 2020.Now, you can buy a variety of tests online or <a href="https://cvshealth.com/news-and-insights/press-releases/over-the-counter-covid-19-testing-now-available-at-cvs-pharmacy">at the drugstore,</a> some of which return results in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-use-home-rapid-coronavirus-tests-2020-12">as little as 15 minutes</a>.In some circumstances, it's possible to get free at-home tests. According to the White House, that will become even easier come January, when the federal government promises to start mailing out 500 million free, at-home COVID tests to people who need them.Here's how to get hold of at-home coronavirus tests, and how to use them correctly to ensure an accurate result.<h2>You can buy rapid antigen tests in pharmacies</h2>Most of the over-the-counter, at-home testing options are rapid antigen tests, which can return results within 10 to 15 minutes.The Abbott BinaxNOW, Ellume <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">Covid-19</keyword> Home, and Quidel QuickVue tests are among the most widely available rapid antigen tests authorized by the FDA. They're sold in most drugstores, including CVS, Walgreens, and Duane Reade.They cost between $20 and $30, but their availability might be limited right now due to <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-08-30/high-demand-for-at-home-covid-tests-could-hamper-supply-abbott-says">high demand</a>.The majority of at-home antigen tests use some sort of nasal swab, and some of them come with an app or instructional video to walk you through the process.Abbott and Quidel's tests both show two lines for a positive test and one line for a negative, similar to a pregnancy test. Ellume's <keyword id="11996463" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rapid-test" source="Orion">rapid test</keyword> returns results via an app.<h2>You can get PCR and rapid tests delivered by Amazon, DoorDash, or a private lab</h2>Amazon has sold rapid antigen tests and at-home collection kits for PCR testing. At the time of publication, most or all of the antigen tests were listed as "currently unavailable" with no restock date.The site currently stocks an Amazon-brand PCR kit for $39.99, as well as a similar nasal swab kit from EmpowerDX and a saliva test kit made by DxTerity, each for $99.Home PCR test kits are more expensive than antigen tests, but they're also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-test-rapid-antigen-test-lateral-flow-pcr-explained-2021-1">better at diagnosing COVID-19</a>. Once you send away your nasal swab or saliva sample, you can expect results within one or two business days of the lab receiving your kit.The food delivery service DoorDash recently announced it now delivers PCR tests on behalf of Vault <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">Health</keyword> and Everlywell in <a href="https://ir.doordash.com/news/news-details/2021/DoorDash-Launches-On-Demand-Delivery-of-COVID-19-PCR-Test-Collection-Kits-Through-Partnerships-with-Vault-Health-and-Everlywell/default.aspx">12 cities with more to come</a>. The Vault kit, which includes a video consultation to supervise saliva collection, costs $119. The Everywell kit, a self-guided lower nasal swab, costs $109. Both are available for same-day delivery on the DoorDash app.It's also possible to order self-collection kits directly from labs, like the Pixel kit from LabCorp.<h2>Some states and cities offer free at-home tests</h2>Residents of Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Washington are eligible for free at-home tests, which they can order online via each state's website. The cities of <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/nyc-starts-handing-out-free-covid-test-kits-as-cases-surge-to-staggering-heights/3465292/">New York City</a>, <a href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/where-to-get-at-home-rapid-testing-kits-covid-19-washington-dc-libraries/65-6ea558d7-3f48-4b49-b0c8-534442767700">Washington, DC</a>, and <a href="https://6abc.com/free-covid-tests-philadelphia-nj-coronavirus-rapid-test/11367191/">Philadelphia</a> are offering the same service.<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/12/22/1065799880/as-omicron-surges-these-states-and-cities-are-focused-on-giving-out-free-covid-t"></a>Over Christmas, as tests have been in short supply, there have been upticks in people <a href="https://kdvr.com/news/coronavirus/at-home-testing-kits-vanish-from-colorado-stores-people-line-up-at-testing-sites/">lining up</a> at clinics for in-person testing, saying their local website wasn't working. However, health departments <a href="https://kdvr.com/news/coronavirus/colorado-orders-2-million-more-at-home-covid-19-test-kits/">insist</a> there is more on the way.<h2>Antigen testing has its limitations</h2><div type="image" title="home testing thumb" height="820" width="1267" msid="85816208" hostid="261"></div>Taking a rapid antigen test is currently the quickest way to determine your COVID status without leaving the house, but that doesn't mean it's your most accurate testing option. Antigen tests <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013705.pub2/full">aren't as sensitive</a> as the gold-standard PCR test, which means you're more likely to get a false negative.Antigen tests work best for confirming that a symptomatic infection is COVID-19, so these are good ones to have on hand for the next time you feel sick. But if you're testing to rule out an asymptomatic infection, you may want to try a different option.<h2>For more sensitive testing, get a PCR test and send your swab away</h2>You can also purchase a <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-at-home-covid-19-tests">home test kit for PCR testing</a>, which is currently the "gold standard" for coronavirus diagnostics.While antigen tests screen for specific proteins in the coronavirus, PCR tests take a closer look for any trace of the virus' genetic material. The process usually takes place in a lab, but some test kits let you collect your own samples at home.There are some fully at-home PCR tests in the works from Cue and Lucira, but neither is available at retailers yet. Lucira is selling the test directly to <keyword id="11897506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="healthcare" source="Orion">healthcare</keyword> providers, and the Cue COVID-19 test is expected to be available for direct consumer purchase later this fall.

Where to find at-home COVID tests — including for free — and how to use them correctly

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Applied DNA Sciences stock jumped over 400% on Tuesday after the company gave an update on a monkeypox PCR test.</li><li>The firm will begin validation of the test, after which it can seek approval from regulators for public testing.</li></ul>Applied DNA Sciences stock shot up on Tuesday after the small biotech firm gave a positive update on their development of a PCR test for monkeypox. Shares jumped to $3.71 as of 3:00 pm ET, up 425% from yesterday's close of $.70.The wave of investors snapped up shares after Applied DNA announced it started the validation of its polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the monkeypox virus. The company's subsidiary, Applied DNA Clinical Labs, will be in charge of approving the technology, after which Applied DNA Sciences will be able to seek approval from state regulators.If approved, the company will be able to test people for the virus across New York, which has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/states-cities-declared-states-of-emergency-over-monkeypox-outbreaks-2022-8">declared a state of emergency due to rising monkeypox</a> infections, along with California and Illinois.Now a step closer to widespread testing, the firm's announcement generated enough excitement to have the stock stopped 27 times for volatile trading today."Based on our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are keenly aware of the crucial role PCR-based diagnostic tools can play in responding and helping to control public health outbreaks," Applied DNA Chief Executive James Hayward said in a statement. "ADCL stands ready to apply its testing capacity in service of New Yorkers' health."

A small biotech firm's stock spiked 425% after giving a positive update on a PCR test for monkeypox

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One nerdy piece of good news about Omicron: We already have tests that spot signs of the variant

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Where to find at-home COVID tests — including for free — and how to use them correctly

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A small biotech firm's stock spiked 425% after giving a positive update on a PCR test for monkeypox

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