Forbes turns to Matthew Binnicker, Ph.D., for COVID-19 insight

January 26, 2022

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, being able to rely on trusted sources for accurate health information has been crucial. Matthew Binnicker, Ph.D., director of Mayo Clinic’s Clinical Virology Laboratory, has been one of the experts frequently called on by media outlets to offer his insight on the pandemic, including as a regular contributor to Forbes since April 2020.

In his latest article, “When Should I Use A PCR Test Versus An At-Home Antigen Test for Covid-19?” published on Jan. 13, Dr. Binnicker describes the differences between the two main types of COVID-19 tests, explains the situations when each should be used, and discusses how to interpret the test results.

“Since timing can impact the reliability of COVID-19 test results, it’s important to take a test at the right time to maximize the chance of detecting the virus,” Dr. Binnicker said. He went on to note: “Although an at-home test can be used following an exposure, the sensitivity of these tests has been shown to be as low as 35% when used in those without symptoms. To help offset the lower sensitivity of antigen tests, they should be performed serially — for example, on days 3 and 5 — after an exposure.”

Dr. Binnicker’s previously published Forbes articles about COVID-19 are all available online.