COVID-19 News & Education

The latest news, research, and COVID-19 testing information from Labcorp

Little kids schoolchildren pupils students running hurrying to the school building for classes lessons from to the school bus. Welcome back to school. The new academic semester year start

Testing is self-care: Keeping safe from COVID, colds, the flu and RSV this autumn

Back to school. Holiday gatherings. And staying inside to keep warm! The fall brings cooler temperatures but also more exposure to contagious diseases and seasonal allergies.

Colds, allergies, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are an inevitable part of autumn and winter. However, the sniffles don’t always mean COVID-19. There are tests for just about any of the typical sniffle-causing ailments you may encounter during the colder parts of the year.

Group of people swimming and tubing in a pool

Summer vacation and gathering tips for our third summer of the COVID-19 pandemic

Summer is in full swing! We’ve compiled a few tips to help you feel even more confident in your gathering and travel plans this year.

Woman putting mask on child to protect from COVID-19

COVID-19 Antibody levels: More may be better

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a lot of talk about testing. Usually, people are referring to diagnostic testing performed with a nasal swab. However, another type of testing—one that requires a blood test and that you may not know about—has been around nearly the whole time.

That testing is for assessing antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Routine testing for body fever on population during COVID-19 crisis

Demystifying “Flurona”: Dual Viral Infection Is More Common Than You May Think

Since the start of the year, you’ve undoubtedly been hearing more and more about “Flurona.” You may be asking yourself, “Is this even possible? Why are we seeing this now? What can I do to protect myself and my loved ones?” 

We’re taking time to clear up some of these questions and, hopefully, equip you with the knowledge to stay calm and stay healthy.

 

people map

Why Viral Variants Like Omicron Are Emerging: A Viral Variation 101

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, we had a singular enemy: the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, now it seems that there are multiple enemies, with the emergence of variants like Delta and Omicron. How did this happen?

Patient sitting on a couch speaking to doctor

COVID-19 Glossary: Terms to Know

See definitions for words commonly used by professionals when discussing COVID-19.

COVID-19 vs. Flu vs. RSV

COVID-19 vs. Flu vs. RSV: How to tell the difference between respiratory infections

Learn the differences between the flu, COVID-19, and RSV and ways to diagnose them.

A Guide to the COVID-19 Variants

A Guide to the COVID-19 Variants: What You Need to Know About Testing and More

Learn about the multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants that have emerged since the start of the pandemic.

COVID-19 Testing Differences

COVID-19 Testing Options to Detect Current Infection vs. Prior Infection

Get a better understanding of COVID-19 testing options – from what each type of test actually detects to sample collection and results. Know the facts to determine what’s best for you.

Latest articles from our blog

Little kids schoolchildren pupils students running hurrying to the school building for classes lessons from to the school bus. Welcome back to school. The new academic semester year start

Testing is self-care: Keeping safe from COVID, colds, the flu and RSV this autumn

Back to school. Holiday gatherings. And staying inside to keep warm! The fall brings cooler temperatures but also more exposure to contagious diseases and seasonal allergies.

Colds, allergies, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are an inevitable part of autumn and winter. However, the sniffles don’t always mean COVID-19. There are tests for just about any of the typical sniffle-causing ailments you may encounter during the colder parts of the year.

Group of people swimming and tubing in a pool

Summer vacation and gathering tips for our third summer of the COVID-19 pandemic

Summer is in full swing! We’ve compiled a few tips to help you feel even more confident in your gathering and travel plans this year.

Woman putting mask on child to protect from COVID-19

COVID-19 Antibody levels: More may be better

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a lot of talk about testing. Usually, people are referring to diagnostic testing performed with a nasal swab. However, another type of testing—one that requires a blood test and that you may not know about—has been around nearly the whole time.

That testing is for assessing antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Routine testing for body fever on population during COVID-19 crisis

Demystifying “Flurona”: Dual Viral Infection Is More Common Than You May Think

Since the start of the year, you’ve undoubtedly been hearing more and more about “Flurona.” You may be asking yourself, “Is this even possible? Why are we seeing this now? What can I do to protect myself and my loved ones?” 

people map

Why Viral Variants Like Omicron Are Emerging: A Viral Variation 101

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, we had a singular enemy: the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, now it seems that there are multiple enemies, with the emergence of variants like Delta and Omicron. How did this happen?

View All Articles

COVID-19 News

Media Statement: Labcorp Receives FDA Emergency Use Authorization for First COVID-19 Test to Identify Specific SARS-CoV-2 Lineages

BURLINGTON, N.C.,  June 14, 2022 — On Friday, June 10, 2022, Labcorp, a global life sciences company, received an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its VirSeq SARS-CoV-2 NGS (next-generation sequencing) Test on the PacBio Sequel II sequencing system.

Read more about Media Statement: Labcorp Receives FDA Emergency Use Authorization for First COVID-19 Test to Identify Specific SARS-CoV-2 Lineages

View our latest news about advancements in health science, COVID-19, and more.

View more COVID-19 News

Tracking COVID-19 Variants

Labcorp has been regularly tracking variants of the virus throughout the pandemic. The sensitivity of our PCR test is not impacted by these variants. We have been working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide sequencing of samples of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Our tests remain effective against variants like Omicron and Delta. This is because they are designed to identify segments of the genetic code that are the least likely to mutate. For more information on variants, see our Viral Variation 101 post or read our Guide to Variants.

Total number of samples sequenced

566,000 as of September 30, 2023

Data covers the U.S. including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico

Labcorp PCR Test performance confirmed

Alpha (B.1.1.7, Q.1-Q.8)

BA.2.86

Beta (B.1.351, B.1.351.2, B.1.351.3)

Delta (B.1.617.2)

Epsilon (B.1.427, B.1.429)

Eta (B.1.525)

Gamma (P.1, P.1.1, P.1.2) 

Iota (B.1.526)

Kappa (B.1.617.1)

Lambda (C.37)

Mu (B.1.621)

Omicron (B.1.1.529, BA.2, BA.4, BA4.6, BA.5, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB.1.5)

Zeta (P.2)

For more information visit US COVID-19 Cases Caused by Variants on the CDC website.