Rapid nose swab tests for Covid may not detect Omicron quickly enough: expert says

The PCR tests of saliva detected the virus on average three days before the rapid nose-swab samples became positive.

Swabbing the nose with a rapid antigen test will not reliably detect the Omicron variant in the first few days of an infection, so manufacturers should seek US approval to allow users to safely collect samples from the throat as well, according to an infectious diseases expert.