There are two main types of COVID-19 tests: tests that detect an active infection by looking for the virus in mucus or saliva, and antibody blood tests that confirm if the immune system has encountered the virus in the past. The appropriate test depends on the situation, with active infection tests used to determine if someone currently has COVID-19 and antibody tests used to identify past asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic infections. While rapid tests can provide quick results, laboratory tests may be more sensitive in accurately detecting infections or antibodies. Getting accurate test results requires tests that are both highly sensitive to detect infections and highly specific to avoid false positives.