The coronavirus nasal swab test is a PCR test, which is similar to the direct testing for viruses such as herpes. You swab the area, and transport it to the lab in tubes that contain a bit of "viral transport media" or "universal transport media" (special preservatives), which are the same tubes we use for other viral swabs like herpes and influenza. The lab amplifies the DNA of the virus using a common method abbreviated PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to detect if it is present on the swab or not.